Splash and Elegance

Midnight Matings

Splash and Elegance The Gathering is called. The spell is cast. There is no escaping the Midnight Matings. Socially awkward and practically invisible to the rest of the world, Whitley Turner wasn’t overly upset by the elders’ announcement. Either he’d find someone to claim him or he’d disappear completely. So when he finds himself mated to a sexy-as-sin orca shifter, he’s not sure whether to jump for joy or run screaming. Jude Chambers knows exactly who the shy swan shifter is. He’s been looking for a way to get close to him for months. Using the forced mating decree and a little cunning help from a friend, landing Whitley as his mate was a piece of cake. Feeling guilty about the situation wasn’t supposed to happen. Why couldn’t Whitley be the egotistical jerk he imagined him to be? It doesn’t take long for Whitley to realize something isn’t right. When the truth is revealed, how can Whitley forgive his mate when being invisible was far less painful? Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter Length: 36,957 words

SPLASH AND ELEGANCE Midnight Matings

Gabrielle Evans

EROTIC ROMANCE MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

SPLASH AND ELEGANCE Copyright © 2011 by Gabrielle Evans E-book ISBN: 1-61926-177-4 First E-book Publication: December 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Splash and Elegance by Gabrielle Evans from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

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SPLASH AND ELEGANCE Midnight Matings GABRIELLE EVANS Copyright © 2011

Chapter One “They want us to do what? No way am I going to mate someone I don’t even know. This is bullshit!” Yep, that seemed to be the consensus going about the ballroom. The elders wanted them to present a mate before the stroke of midnight—less than twenty-four hours away—and that mate had damn well better be of a different species. If they thought they could get out of it, well, they better think again. The elders had even gone so far as to doctor their drinks with some hoodoo crap to induce the mating heat. While some of the partygoers looked excited and hopeful about the prospect of finding a mate, and others just looked downright scared out of their minds, most were about to tear the place apart in their anger. Whitley Turner didn’t care either way. If someone wanted to claim him as a mate, then so be it. If no one wanted him, he’d go feral, be hunted down as rogue, and end what was looking to be a long, lonely, and pathetic existence. As far as he saw it, the latter was probably the most likely to happen. He’d yet to pinpoint what it was about him that turned people off, but most of them beat a quick path in the opposite direction after spending five minutes with him.

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Oh, he could lie of course, but what good would that do him? Any new mate was bound to find out what he was eventually. It would save him a lot of heartache, and possibly a black eye, if he just came clean up front. So, while everyone else was shouting, snarling, growling, and mostly just making assholes out of themselves, Whitley sat calmly on a bench against the wall and watched the drama unfold. He sipped his bewitched champagne, even though he could already feel the mating heat burning his blood and swelling his cock. Men and women alike darted around the room, attacking possible mates left and right. They didn’t really seem to care if that person wanted to be mated to them or not, either. Whitley sighed as he watched two enormous men fight over another smaller guy. Didn’t they realize that was exactly what had landed them all in hot water to begin with? All this constant fighting and bickering had to stop. That wasn’t saying he condoned what the elders had cooked up, but he doubted they wanted his opinion. “Son, just take the girl, drag her up there, and write your damn name in that book!” Whitley knew it wasn’t polite to eavesdrop, but it was kind of hard not to overhear when the man was shouting just feet from him. “I’m not going to pick some random girl to spend the rest of eternity with,” the younger man responded with a stubborn set to his jaw. “I’m not talking about some random girl, and you know it. We’ve discussed this. Now find her and get your ass up there!” Someone eased onto the bench beside him, but Whitley couldn’t take his eyes off the arguing men. Well, more to the point, he couldn’t take his eyes off the son. If there had ever been a more perfect example of male beauty outside paintings and sculptures, he’d yet to have seen it. Dark brown hair, smooth tan skin, a sexy five-o’clock shadow, and oh, what big muscles the man had. They moved fluidly, flexing

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and bunching in all the right places as he waved his arms around to emphasize the point he was trying to make. Too bad he was apparently straight. Not that he’d want to be saddled with Whitley even if he wasn’t, but a guy could dream. “He doesn’t sound very happy,” a feminine voice whispered next to his ear, causing him to jump. “Oh, uh, no, I guess he doesn’t.” “I’m Melody.” She held her dainty hand out to Whitley. He took it carefully and gave it a perfunctory squeeze before releasing it quickly. “Why are you just sitting here instead of hunting down a mate? You heard what the elders said.” “I could ask you the same thing,” he countered. Melody sighed and folded her hands in her lap, causing her ample breasts to push together. “I guess you’re right. I don’t want to be mated to any of these idiots, though. Just look at them.” She dipped her head, letting her long dark hair fall over one eye, and indicated the chaos going on around the room. “You’re very beautiful.” She was, too—for a girl. She was slim, but with curves in all the places most men adored. Her dark brown, almond-shaped eyes were what drew Whitley in, though. They looked kind, but also a little sad. “I’m sure you could find someone who’s not a complete barbarian.” Whitley scanned the room, hoping to find someone he could point out to prove his point. As luck would have it, he spotted a very handsome man leaning against one of the floor-to-ceiling pillars, staring right at Melody with so much longing in his eyes it almost hurt to see. “What about him?” Melody followed his gaze and smiled sadly. “That’s Shane. He’s gorgeous, isn’t he? Our families would never allow it, though.” “Well, it seems to me that you have the perfect excuse now. Blame it on the elders.” She seemed to think it over for a minute before nodding firmly and rising to her feet. “Thank you…”

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“Whitley. Whitley Turner, and you’re very welcome. Go get your prince, Melody. You seem nice, and you deserve to be happy.” “Yes, I do,” she said firmly and squared her shoulders. Then she bent at the waist and placed a soft kiss on Whitley’s cheek. “So do you, Whitley. Good luck finding your mate.” She turned to walk away, but made it only a couple of steps before the older of the arguing pair grabbed her around the upper arm and began marching her toward the raised platform where the elders were sitting. “Let go of me!” she demanded, wiggling and jerking to get free of his grip. “There you are,” the man said with a satisfied smile before turning to his son. “Take her up there and put your names in the fucking book!” “No. Let her go, Father.” Whitley looked around them, unsurprised to find Shane making his way through the crowd with an angry scowl on his face. “You’ll take her as a mate, or you’ll never see Carter again. It’ll take just one phone call. You know I can do it.” Whitley didn’t know who Carter was, but judging by the reddening of the younger man’s face, he was someone very important. The situation was spiraling out of control quickly, and Whitley hoped like hell that Shane would get there soon to rescue Melody and diffuse things. His hopes died a quick death, though, when some man went sailing through the air and tackled Shane to the ground. Before he could regain his feet, two women pounced on him and began pawing at his clothes. “Damn it, Jude! Just do what you’re told.” The father and son glared at each other for a tense moment before Jude jerked his head in what Whitley took to be agreement and followed his father and a still-struggling Melody up onto the dais.

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He should probably stay out of it, but Whitley couldn’t stop himself from following. Surely someone would put a stop to this. The elders weren’t going to let them force this girl into a mating she didn’t want. Right? “My son would like to record his mating.” “Name?” an elder asked, looking up at them with a bored expression. Whitley moved closer to the platform so he could hear, but checked over his shoulder for Shane. Breathing a sigh of relief when he found the man back on his feet and making his way toward them like a charging rhino, Whitley turned back to the couple in front of him. “Jude Chambers,” Jude ground out through his clenched teeth. “And your name?” the elder asked Melody. She winced when Jude’s father’s fingers tightened around her arm, digging into her skin. He apparently knew her because he opened his mouth to say something, but Melody cut him off by jerking out of his hold and shoving him roughly. “I can speak for myself,” she said with a slight growl. Whitley didn’t know what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t what happened next. Melody looked right into the elder’s eyes, and lied like a fucking bitch. “Whitley Turner.” “No!” the older man roared, but it was too late. The elder bobbed his head and went to scribbling in the book sitting in front of him before anyone could do anything to stop it. White-hot pain lanced across the back of Whitley’s neck, causing him to scream in agony. Jude and his father spun around to stare at him with their mouths hanging open while Melody silently pleaded with her eyes for his forgiveness. Jude rubbed absently at his left thigh, and Whitley could only assume that’s where his mating seal had been branded into his skin. “No!” Mr. Chambers roared again. “You lying little bitch.”

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“That’s enough,” a deep, angry voice said from Whitley’s right. Shane leapt up onto the dais and pulled Melody away from the irate older man. “Leave her alone.” “Melody Eck and Shane White,” Melody said quickly to the elder. “Please record our mating.” The elder simply shrugged and began writing in his book again. Shane growled as his muscles tensed, and Melody cried out, clutching at her stomach. It was all over a moment later, and they both grinned at each other. Shane snatched up the envelope the elder was holding out to him, jumped down from the stage, and pulled Melody into his arms to whisk her away. It was the most romantic thing Whitley had ever witnessed, and he found he couldn’t be mad at the crafty female. She’d done what she had to do to save herself from a lifetime of misery. He could respect that, even if it left his ass in the frying pan. “I demand that you do something,” Mr. Chambers snarled, slamming his fist down on the table between him and the elders. “She deceived my son. Not only should the mating be void, but she should be punished.” “Father, just leave it alone,” Jude said quietly. “You wanted me mated, and I am.” “Don’t be a smart-ass, Jude. This is not what I wanted, and you know it. My son is no queer!” Mr. Chambers whipped his head back to the elders. “Why are you just sitting there?” “Sir, I suggest that you calm yourself, or I will have you removed from the castle. The mating has been recorded, and it will stand unless we find out that one or more parties are being abused.” The elder rose to his feet, towering over Jude’s father, and smirked. “Any questions?” Instead of arguing with the elder, Mr. Chambers spun around and stared daggers at Whitley. His face mottled an angry red, his eyes took on a crazed look, and his hands fisted at his sides. Then without

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warning, he launched himself off the platform, his fist aiming straight for Whitley’s head. “Oh, shit.” Whitley’s eyes rounded, his heart hammered, and his throat constricted, making it difficult to breathe. There was nowhere to run, no place to hide, so he did the only thing that made sense. He dropped to the ground, threw his arms over his head, and didn’t move a muscle. His strange and unconventional behavior did the trick, though. Jude’s father stumbled to a stop, dropped his hand, and stared down at Whitley’s unmoving form with a strange look on his face. “I never touched him.” There were several gasps and lots of hurried footsteps as a small crowd gathered around him to form a loose circle. “I never touched him,” Mr. Chambers repeated, and he sounded a little afraid. “Move,” Jude growled at his father. He pushed the man aside roughly and knelt down on one knee near Whitley’s head. A little smile tugged at the corners of his full lips. “Hello, there.” Whitley was still too terrified to tell his body that the threat had passed, and he could stop lying on the floor like an idiot. Jude began stroking the column of his neck with feather-light touches, and the longer he did it, the more Whitley began to relax. “No one is going to hurt you,” Jude assured him quietly. “It’s okay now.” Whitley blinked several times and melted into the floor as his muscles relaxed and his joints unlocked. Jude should be furious with him, though. His dad sure as hell was. So, why was the man being so nice to him? “Your name is Whitley, right?” Whitley nodded dazedly. “Yes. Whitley Turner.” “I’m Jude.” “I know.” Feeling vulnerable sprawled there on the floor, Whitley quickly scrambled into a sitting position and finally up to his feet.

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Jude stood as well, never taking his eyes from Whitley’s. “Umm, thank you.” “You’re very welcome.” Mr. Chambers made a threatening move toward Whitley again, but Jude was there to block his father’s advance. “It’s over,” he growled. “Go home and leave him alone. He didn’t ask for this any more than I did.” “Jude, you can’t be mated to a man. I won’t allow it. Surely you want this reversed.” Whitley started easing backward, hoping to slip into the crowd and disappear unnoticed by his new mate and the man’s belligerent father. He made it no more than half a step before Jude’s hand shot out behind him, caught Whitley by the wrist, and tugged him so that he bumped up against Jude’s back. “Don’t move,” he whispered over his shoulder. Like he had a choice. The man was still holding on to his wrist to prevent his escape as he argued with his father. Becoming uncomfortable with the attention they were garnering, Whitley moved in closer and hid his face in the soft cotton of Jude’s shirt. This close, he realized, the man wasn’t much taller than him. He was definitely broader and probably had a good thirty pounds on him, but there couldn’t be more than a four-inch height difference between them. God, the man smelled amazing. Molten lava swirled in his belly, and his cock went rock hard in the span of seconds. Shifting uncomfortably, he reached down to readjust the straining bulge behind his zipper, and a soft moan burst from his mouth from the intense pleasure that little bit of pressure gave him. Beads of sweat popped out over his forehead, and his breathing accelerated until only short, choppy pants passed in and out through his trembling lips. Jude’s thumb caressed back and forth against the skin on his wrist, obviously trying to soothe him. All it was doing was making him fucking horny, though.

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“This isn’t the end of this,” Mr. Chambers warned. “If you insist on going—” He cut himself off and gave his son one last withering glare. “Did you say Turner?” “Good evening, Father,” Jude responded, and Whitley could hear the smirk in his voice. “Don’t push me, Jude.” Then the older Chambers turned on his heels and marched off through the crowd. Whitley felt Jude’s shoulders rise and fall as the man sighed heavily before turning to face him. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” He wasn’t, but what else was he supposed to say? Up close, Jude was even more gorgeous, and his dark green eyes held Whitley mesmerized. “I’m sorry about what happened. I swear I didn’t know she would do that.” “I believe you.” Jude looked sad as he pushed a hand through his short, dark hair and sighed again. “What do we do now?” With his dick throbbing in his jeans, the only answer Whitley could give to that question was to engage in a good hard fuck. He doubted that would be a welcomed reply, however. So, he pressed his lips together and shook his head slowly while he shrugged his shoulders. The universal sign for, “How the hell should I know?” “Before I forget,” the elder who’d recorded their mating said from beside them. He passed an envelope over to Jude and dipped his head. “Your mating instructions. Read them and follow them carefully. Congratulations on your mating.” Then he walked away as though he’d handed them nothing more than an after-dinner mint. Jude tapped the envelope against his palm for several seconds before he spoke again. “Let’s find someplace quiet and talk. I guess that would be a good place to start.” Since Whitley didn’t have any better options, he simply nodded and allowed Jude to lead him through the throng of people to the double doors on the other side of the room. This was either going to be the best or worst thing that ever happened to him. Who could have known that one little lie would define the rest of his very long future?

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Chapter Two His new mate followed along behind him with his chin tucked against his chest, watching the floor as they moved down the long corridor. Jude knew the man was scared, but he didn’t know what to say to soothe him. Other than his name, the fact that he was breathtaking, and he had something Jude wanted very much, he didn’t know anything about him. He was hoping to remedy that soon, though. Checking the first door he came to, he found what appeared to be a sitting room of some sort. It was blissfully unoccupied, which suited his needs at the moment, so he took Whitley’s hand and pulled him inside. Closing the door behind them, he crossed the room and settled into a squashy armchair, motioning for Whitley to do the same. Whitley walked slowly, every movement swimming with dejection as he eased onto the edge of the sofa and stared down at his hands where they fisted together in his lap. Everything about his demeanor broke Jude’s heart. “Can you look at me, please?” After a moment of hesitation, Whitley lifted his head as though he was about to face a firing squad. He glanced at Jude only briefly before averting his eyes once more. “So, what would you like to know about me?” It was usually considered poor taste to bluntly come out and ask someone what type of paranormal they were, but Jude figured the circumstances called for a little bend in social etiquette. “Are you a shifter?” Whitley bobbed his head. “A swan shifter, to be precise.”

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Jude nodded slowly. So far, so good. Everything was falling into place and adding up. Whitley wasn’t like what he imagined the son of Seymour Turner to be like, though. The man appeared to have very little self-confidence, while his father had arrogance pouring out of his ears. Turner was a pretty common name. Maybe the two weren’t related at all. Jude might have believed that if Whitley wasn’t the spitting image of his father. “Well, I’m a shifter as well,” Jude offered when his mate said nothing further. “An orca, or k—” “A killer whale?” Whitley’s eyes rounded, and he scrambled up on the sofa, pressing into the cushions and practically climbing the back of it. Jude knew it was going to happen a split second before it did, and he jumped up quickly to catch the man from falling over the back of the couch. His unannounced movement only seemed to startle Whitley more, though, and he yelped loudly before falling to the floor with a loud thud and louder groan. “Whitley!” Hurrying to his mate’s side, Jude crouched down beside him and gently stroked his back. “We really have to stop meeting this way,” he teased. Whitley’s quiet chuckle turned into another groan as he carefully levered himself off the floor. “I’m sorry. You seem like a really nice guy. I don’t know why I reacted that way.” Jude shrugged as he helped the smaller man to his feet. It was a common reaction when people found out exactly what kind of shifter he was. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.” “That’s no excuse.” Whitley shook his head firmly and brushed off his backside. “I shouldn’t have freaked out like that. I guess I’m just kind of nervous because I don’t know what the hell is going on. One minute I’m chilling by the wall, and the next I’m mated.”

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Jude sat back in his seat and waited for Whitley to do the same. “I understand. It’s a little disconcerting for me as well.” Not a total lie, but not the complete truth, either. “Are you gay?” Whitley blurted then blushed the most becoming shade of red as he sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and chewed it vigorously. The splash of color against his flawlessly tan skin was beautiful, and Jude found himself smiling softly. He didn’t think he’d ever met anyone quite like Whitley Turner. “I prefer to stay away from labels. I don’t think in terms of gender. I like people. They don’t have to have certain equipment between their legs for me to find them attractive.” “Do you find me attractive?” Whitley sounded hopeful, but as though he wasn’t expecting a positive response. “Very much so,” Jude answered honestly. “You are a very attractive man.” Whitley nodded his head absently as if he was working over the information in his mind. “I was watching you,” he admitted. “When you were arguing with your dad, I couldn’t stop watching you.” “Does that mean you find me attractive as well?” Jude couldn’t resist a little teasing. The man was wound so tight, he looked like a gentle wind would shatter him into a million pieces. “Are you kidding? You’re freaking hot!” Jude laughed when Whitley’s eyes rounded, and he slapped a hand over his mouth like he’d been caught uttering a swear word by his mother. “Thank you, Whitley.” “You’re welcome,” Whitley returned with a shy smile as he dropped his hand back to his lap. “What was in that envelope the elder gave you?” “That’s a good question. He said something about mating instructions.” Jude frowned, pulling the envelope out of his pocket and studying the seal on it intently. Since when did a mating come with a how-to guide? It wasn’t like putting together a bookshelf.

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Tearing off the end of the envelope, he extracted the thick piece of parchment inside and unfolded it, smoothing the page on his thigh as he began to read. “Well? What does it say?” Whitley chewed nervously at his thumbnail and his knee bounced up and down. “Well, you’re stuck with me for the next four years until the next gathering. Our mating bond will ensure that we have some kind of soul meld.” “Okay.” Whitley nodded firmly. Then he stopped and tilted his head to the side. “What does that mean?” “It means that we need to take care of each other because if one of us dies, we both do.” “Oh.” That’s all he said, but the look on his face was so comical that Jude couldn’t help but laugh again. “Anything else?” There was something else, and it made Jude’s heart beat faster and his cock swell harder. He’d been fighting against the mating heat since the midnight toast, and after setting eyes on Whitley, it wasn’t getting any easier. While reading the next part of the mating requirements, he realized there was no reason for him to be fighting it. In fact, he’d be better off if he didn’t. “We have to consummate our mating at least once every twentyfour hours.” He hadn’t been expecting that, but he had no issues playing by those particular rules. Whitley’s mouth dropped open, and he started shaking his head quickly. “That can’t be right. Read it again.” Instead of rereading the information, he passed the piece of parchment over to Whitley so that the man could see for himself. His brow wrinkled as his eyes darted across the page, and his lean frame began to tremble, making the paper rustle as it shook in his hand. Obviously, Whitley was less than happy about what he was reading. While Jude had no problems taking the sexy shifter to his bed, he wouldn’t force himself where he wasn’t wanted. Although, if

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Whitley didn’t agree, it was going to cause some big problems for both of them in more ways than one. “We’ll go feral if we don’t? That’s not right.” Whitley dropped the sheet of paper to the floor, closed his eyes, and groaned. “I’m so sorry, Jude.” “Why are you sorry?” As far as Jude could see, Whitley had nothing to apologize for. If everything went the way he hoped, he’d be thanking the guy. Whitley didn’t seem very excited about having any type of intimate relationship with him. After questioning Jude’s sexual orientation and his subsequent comment about Jude being hot, he was pretty sure the man was gay. Maybe he wasn’t experienced when it came to sex. If that was the case, the idea of being forced into a relationship, and then being told that he had to put out every damn night could be extremely overwhelming. “This isn’t fair to you,” Whitley whispered dejectedly. “Excuse me?” Now Jude was completely lost. “I would say that this entire situation isn’t fair to anyone in this castle. None of us asked for this.” “I know.” Whitley sighed and dropped his chin to his chest. “I just meant that it isn’t fair that you got stuck with me because Melody lied. You could have had anyone in that ballroom.” “I don’t know about that.” Jude didn’t think he was any great prize, not the way Whitley was talking about him anyway. Besides, he hadn’t wanted anyone else in the ballroom. “Have you heard me complain?” What was with the almost nonexistent self-esteem? Whitley was gorgeous, and he was sweet as pie, though a little depressing at times. Why did he have such a low opinion of himself? “Why aren’t you complaining?” Jude shrugged. “It wouldn’t do me any good. I’m not going to change the elders’ minds, so I might as well get over it. Being pissed off is just a waste of energy.” Did he have a clue how to be a mate

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and share his life with someone? Not at all. He was a quick learner, though, and he could fake it until he got it right. “That’s not what I meant.” Whitley sighed and waved a hand around. “Never mind. So, I guess the next question is where do we go from here?” “Well, you met my dad. I doubt I’d be welcomed at home.” “You still live with your dad?” It was a reasonable question considering his age, but Jude bristled at the comment. “It’s complicated,” he answered tightly. That was another thing he was going to have to talk to Whitley about, but not yet. He needed more time before he revealed all of his secrets. “So, where do you live?” “Virginia Beach with my family.” He gave Jude a sly grin. “I didn’t mean that comment the way it sounded as you can see. I was just curious because he seems like a dick. No offense.” Jude felt like a heel. “No, no, I’m sorry I got all grumbly. He is a certifiable asshole, but I have my reasons for sticking around.” “Well, I hope you feel comfortable enough sharing them with me some day.” “I will, just not yet.” Still, it was refreshing to know that Whitley wasn’t going to badger him for information. Everything about him surprised Jude, and a small part of him began to feel guilty. It would have been so much better if Whitley was as much of a bastard as his father. “So, who’s Carter?” “Just someone I know,” Jude answered shortly. “Is he…Do you love him?” “I do, but not like you’re thinking.” Jude paused, deciding how much to reveal. “He’s my little brother,” he said quietly. Just thinking about the teenager made his heart hurt. “I see,” Whitley responded slowly. “Um, not to pry, but is he going to be okay with your dad? I wasn’t trying to listen in, but you

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two were arguing pretty loudly, and I got the impression that your father wasn’t very fond of him.” “It’s a long story that I’d rather not get into right now. Carter will be fine.” God, Jude hoped the kid would be okay until he could get him out of his father’s house. “I won’t ask any more questions, but know that I’m willing to help you if you need it.” “Thank you.” It made him feel strangely warm on the inside to know that Whitley had his back, even though they’d only met a few minutes previously. It also made him realize that his plan to free Carter wasn’t going to be as hard as he thought. “My freaking skin is going to melt off.” Whitley wiggled around in his seat and scratched at his arms. Then his hand wandered down to press against the very noticeable bulge between his thighs, and Jude couldn’t stop the groan that rose up in his chest and spilled through his slightly parted lips. Worrying about his brother had distracted him from the fire burning in his body as the mating heat worked its way through him. Now that Whitley had brought the issue to the forefront of his mind once more, Jude could think of nothing but sinking his aching cock into his mate’s perfectly shaped ass and riding it hard. Not exactly romantic of him, but he was losing the grasp on his control quickly. “You didn’t seem very enthusiastic about having sex with me. Do you have much experience?” He hadn’t meant to be quite so blunt about it, but there really wasn’t any easy way around the question. At the rate the mating heat was consuming him, he needed to know up front so he could be extra careful with the man if it was his first time. “Not a lot,” Whitley admitted, still rubbing his hard-on through his jeans. “I’m not a virgin, but I don’t sleep around, either.” He sounded almost ashamed of the fact, but the information only pushed Jude’s lust higher.

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While he might not be the first or only man to know the pleasure of Whitley’s lithe body, he was glad that the man respected himself enough to not allow people to use him like a cheap hooker. “Look at me.” Whitley kept his head ducked and his eyes averted. That wouldn’t do at all. How was Jude supposed to convince the man out of his clothes if he wouldn’t even look at him? “Whitley, I said look at me.” His head snapped up and a sexy shiver vibrated his body. Interesting. Jude hadn’t meant to growl at his mate the way he had, but if it garnered that kind of reaction, he wasn’t above using it to his advantage. “Stand up.” Jude spoke quietly, but laced his words with authority so that Whitley would know he meant business. The same as before, Whitley shuddered and rose to his feet as though on autopilot. He stood rooted to the spot, his arms stiff at his sides, looking right into Jude’s eyes. “Come here.” Whitley glided across the floor with a grace Jude could never hope to imitate and stopped right in front of him where he lounged in the armchair. Jude had never been particularly dominant before. He didn’t really care who was in charge in or out of the bedroom as long as he got a say in what was going on. Whitley seemed to calm at Jude’s commands, but it was more as though he retreated into himself than that he was getting any real pleasure from it. “Whitley, if you don’t want this, you need to tell me now. I know what the mating instructions say, but I’m not going to force you.” “I want this,” Whitley mumbled unconvincingly. “I don’t believe you.” “I do want you,” he said with only slightly more conviction. “Just look at you. How could I not? I just…” He trailed off and dropped his head again. “I don’t want to disappoint you.” Someone had worked his mate over good. Jude didn’t know who it was or what had happened, but there was definitely a story there.

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“I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Whit.” Jude didn’t miss the way the man’s eyes lit up at the nickname, but he chose to ignore it for the time being. “It doesn’t matter what you do or how skilled you are at it. As long as you’re doing it naked, I can’t possibly be disappointed.” Whitley didn’t laugh, but he did smile crookedly, and the tense set of his shoulders eased a bit. “Tell me what to do.” Jude had heard those words before, and they were usually intended as a form of seduction. His bed partners wanted to know what he liked and how he liked it. Whitley’s request had sounded more like a plea, as though he would wander off the edge of a cliff if he wasn’t given the proper direction. There was something about him that just screamed, “Handle with care.” “Jude?” Whitley’s voice quavered on the one word. Jude’s lack of response was obviously making him nervous and doubtful. He couldn’t do it. There was just no way he could treat his mate like a piece of property or a rent boy. Pushing up to his feet, he took Whitley’s hand and tugged him toward the door. He didn’t know what kind of relationships Whitley had been in previously, but they couldn’t have been healthy. More guilt swamped him at the knowledge, but what was done was done, and he couldn’t change anything now. Jude understood that some people craved the discipline and structure of a D/s relationship, but something about Whitley’s demeanor and attitude made him think that wasn’t the case for his mate. In fact, he had a feeling that the man’s behavior stemmed more from a defense mechanism than any real desire to be dominated. “Where are we going?” Whitley asked softly as they made their way along one of the many corridors in the castle. “Did I do something wrong?” “No, Whit. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Jude kept walking, and his hand tightened around Whitley’s in reassurance, even as he berated himself mentally for all the ways he’d already screwed up in the twenty minutes since they’d met. It wasn’t supposed to be this way! “I did.”

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Chapter Three Whitley didn’t know what he’d done wrong, but Jude didn’t seem very happy with him. He’d done exactly what his other lovers had always demanded of him—keep his mouth shut and do what the hell he was told. He didn’t pay much attention to anything besides the floor as Jude led him through the maze of hallways in the castle, finally lifting his head when the man stopped in front of him. “This is my room,” Jude informed him before stepping inside and motioning for Whitley to follow him. Whitley nodded in acknowledgement that he understood, though Jude hadn’t technically asked him a question. He wanted to ask why they were there, but he couldn’t make his mouth work to form the words. His lips were dry, his stomach was in knots, and his heart beat a rapid staccato against his ribs. Though he was nervous and apprehensive, his dick still throbbed painfully inside his jeans, and his body burned like liquid fire, engulfing and consuming him. “Are you okay?” Jude asked as he unknotted his tie and pulled it from around his neck. Unbuttoning his shirt next, he slipped it off his shoulders to expose his bare chest, and it was all Whitley could do not to whimper like a slut. It took him a moment to process what Jude had asked him. He still couldn’t make his mouth work, though, so he just gave weird half shake-half nod that probably looked more like he had an involuntary twitch more than anything. The ache in his dick radiated outward until it enveloped his entire body, and even the light weight of his clothes against his skin was painful.

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He’d idly wondered how the mating heat could force them to go feral, but he didn’t have to guess any longer. If he didn’t soothe the burn soon, he was going to lose his damn mind. “Whit?” How the hell could Jude speak so calmly? Wasn’t he experiencing the same effects as Whitley? Couldn’t he feel his insides boiling and his skin sizzling? “Whitley, you’re shaking.” Jude took a step closer to him and reached out as though to place his hand on Whitley’s shoulder. Whitley jumped back like Jude’s hand was a poisonous snake and shook his head rapidly. “Don’t,” he pleaded. One touch and he’d probably go off like a Roman candle. Jude studied him for a long time before completely ignoring his plea and cupping the side of his face. The man’s touch was like a soothing aloe, and some of the heat ebbed as Whitley moaned and rubbed his face over his mate’s palm. “How bad is it, Whit?” “It hurts,” Whitley confessed. “Can’t you feel it?” “I feel it.” Jude nodded slowly. “I don’t think I’m feeling it like you are, though. Let me help you.” Before Whitley could agree or deny, Jude’s other palm pressed against his straining erection through the denim and massaged his throbbing cock. Whitley’s hips bucked, and his eyes rolled back in his head. “Shhh,” Jude cooed to him as he expertly popped the button on Whitley’s pants and lowered his zipper with ease. His long, warm fingers reached into Whitley’s boxers and encircled his cock, squeezing it lightly as he extracted it from its confinement. He stepped closer, crowding Whitley’s personal space, and bent to whisper in his ear. “I’ve got you, Whit. Let me give you what you need.” His grip tightened around Whitley’s hard length, and he stroked him twice before Whitley erupted like a geyser, clutching at Jude’s

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shoulders and shooting pearly ropes of cum all over the man’s expensive-looking slacks. Whitley whimpered and bucked, burying his face into Jude’s warm neck while the world around him spun out of control. His legs began to shake, his breathing accelerated, and instead of easing the pain, his climax only seemed to increase the burn. “Please, please, please,” he chanted. He knew he needed to stop talking, but he just couldn’t help it. Jude smelled so good, and his bare skin was so smooth. Dipping his head, Whitley captured one of the man’s copper-colored nipples in his mouth and swirled his tongue around the pebbled nub. His own lust skyrocketed when Jude moaned for him, the sound rumbling through his chest and sending faint vibrations over Whitley’s tongue. Then one hand came up to cup the back of his head and tug him closer, while the other hand continued to stroke and tease Whitley’s still-hard and weeping cock. Using his lips, tongue, and teeth, Whitley tortured the nipple in his mouth while he worked at the fastener of Jude’s pants. He wanted skin, wanted to feel the man pressed against him with no boundaries between them. “Easy,” Jude said softly, reaching down to still Whitley’s fumbling hands. When he eased away, Whitley wanted to cry out in frustration, but he kept his lips pressed together, and simply stood there, trembling with need. “Let me show you something.” Jude could show him anything he wanted as long as it involved them being naked and horizontal. Hell, they didn’t even have to be horizontal. Whitley would settle for just about any position as long as it involved a rock-hard, throbbing cock in his ass. He couldn’t ask for those things, though. He’d learned long ago to accept what he was given and never demand more. God, why wouldn’t Jude just tell him what he wanted, tell him what to do? It would make things a lot less complicated.

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“Come here, Whit.” No one ever called him that, and Whitley found he liked it a lot. He liked it even more because it came from Jude. Whitley stepped forward, molding himself to his mate’s chest again, and moaned in pleasure when Jude’s arms encircled him. There was something about being encased in those powerful arms that made Whitley feel safe and protected like he’d never felt before. It did little to cool his lust, however. “Jude, please,” he murmured. “I need…” He knew exactly what he needed, just not how to articulate it. If he didn’t keep his damn mouth shut, he was going to scare Jude off. No one liked needy and desperate, but that’s exactly how Whitley felt. “I know. I know. I’m going to take good care of you, Whit. Just relax and let me take care of you.” No one had ever wanted to take care of him. In his experience, it all came down to what he could do for his partner. Jude wasn’t like any of those guys, and it confused the hell out of him. Whitley only knew how to be one way, and Jude didn’t seem to want that from him. “Tell me what to do,” he begged. If Jude would just tell him what he wanted and what he liked, Whitley could do that. Without any direction, he was floundering, and his anxiety was threatening to get the better of him. “Do whatever you want to do.” Jude leaned back and cradled Whitley’s face in both hands. “Do whatever feels right.” Then very slowly, as if seeking permission, he lowered his head and pressed their lips together. Whitley knew the kiss was meant to be tender, to soothe and calm him. The first brush of Jude’s lips was like an electric jolt to his groin, though, and he responded on instinct, flinging his arms around Jude’s neck and dragging him closer. More, more, more! He crushed his mouth hard to Jude’s, not so much teasing the seam of his mate’s lips with his tongue, but prying them open so that he could thrust inside to taste the warm, sweet depths hidden within.

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A feral growl spilled out of him when Jude opened easily, not resisting him in the least, and his moist tongue darted out to tangle with Whitley’s. If he’d thought Jude smelled amazing, it was nothing compared to the man’s taste. Warm and rich, though slightly sweet, it reminded him of his morning coffee—two sugars and lots of cream, just the way he liked it. Wanting—no, needing—to be closer, Whitley pulled on Jude’s neck, practically climbing the man’s body as he plunged his tongue in and out of his mate’s mouth, taking rather than asking for what he wanted. Jude didn’t complain, though. He wrapped one arm around Whitley’s waist and hoisted him higher so that he could wrap his legs around the shifter’s lean hips. His naked cock slid over the warm, corrugated expanse of Jude’s abs as he grinded against him and continued to lay claim to his mouth. It was erotic, passion-fueled, mind-blowing, and unlike anything Whitley had ever experienced. If kissing the man could make him feel that good, what would it be like to finally have Jude inside him? He didn’t know how long they stood in the middle of the room, kissing and exploring with their hands. So lost in the taste and feel of the man in his arms, Whitley didn’t immediately realize they’d moved until he felt himself falling and the softness of the bed against his back. Jude still held him close, even as he pinned him against the mattress and covered him from head to hips. His knees bracketed Whitley’s, and he pushed himself up just far enough to begin working Whitley’s jeans down his thighs. There was an urgency in Jude’s movements that excited him. Even if it was only because of the mating heat, no one had ever wanted him the way Jude did. Groans and growls rolled up from his chest and poured into Whitley’s mouth as their tongues continued to duel. Jude’s massive frame shook with his desire as he used his hands

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and even his feet to push the denim off Whitley’s ankles so that the jeans fell to the floor. “Tell me you want this,” Jude panted a moment later. “If we keep going, I won’t be able to stop myself, so you need to speak up now.” Whitley had never wanted anything more in his life. “Please, Jude. Touch me, fuck me, whatever. I don’t care, but just do something!” Jude closed his eyes and groaned. “I’m in so much trouble.” Then he rolled off the bed, leaving Whitley alone and confused. Had he said something wrong? Maybe he’d come off as too wanton and slutty. He pressed his legs together and started to roll over to his side, but a hand on his hips stopped him. “Where are you going?” Whitley stared up into Jude’s green eyes and shook his head. “I thought…you left, and…” A strange look passed over Jude’s face, almost like he was sad about something. Whitley didn’t have long to linger on what it might mean, though, because he’d suddenly noticed that Jude was completely nude, and the cock jutting from his groin was comparable to a telephone pole. There was no way that thing was going to fit in his ass, but that wouldn’t stop Whitley from trying. His mouth watered and his fingers twitched to reach out and stroke the hard length. Jude was gloriously bare, his body devoid of any hair but that on his head and along his jaw. His cock flexed, bobbing slightly and leaking clear drops of pre-cum from the tip. Something landed on the mattress beside him, and Whitley glanced over, wanting to smack himself in the head when he saw the small bottle of lube. Would he ever stop jumping to conclusions and always thinking the worst? “Stop thinking so hard,” Jude said quietly, as though reading his mind. He straddled Whitley’s thighs again and slipped his warm hands under the hem of Whitley’s shirt to caress the flat expanse of his stomach.

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Then very slowly, he worked the material up Whitley’s chest, and with a little help, pulled it over his head and tossed it to the side. Once fully divested of his clothing, Whitley felt exposed, and not in a good way. It didn’t help that Jude was just staring at him. He couldn’t decipher the look he was receiving, and only hoped he measured up to his mate’s expectations. “You’re beautiful,” Jude whispered as he stretched out over Whitley and brushed his fingertips over his hip bone. Then his fingers walked up Whitley’s torso and gently wrapped around his wrist, pulling his arm away from his chest. “Don’t hide from me.” Whitley hadn’t even realized he’d been doing just that. He knew he wasn’t much to look at—certainly nothing like Jude. Every part of the man was utter perfection from the tip of his spiky hair to the bottom of his long toes. How could Whitley ever compare to that? “You’re doing it again,” Jude chastised him. “I guess I’m going to have to distract you to get you to stop thinking everything into the ground.” With that, he palmed Whitley’s aching cock and stroked him from root to tip several times. Whitley moaned and dropped his head back to the mattress as his hips arched up to slide his throbbing dick through Jude’s too-loose grasp. Somewhere in his lust-addled brain he heard the soft snick of a bottle cap, but he couldn’t be bothered with things like that when Jude’s hands on him felt so good. Jude nudged his legs wider, and Whitley complied automatically, spreading his thighs and even going as far as to bend his knees and plant his feet on the mattress. He might not be able to think straight, but his body knew what it wanted and responded accordingly. Then a slippery finger skimmed over his perineum and down the crease of his ass to circle his clenching hole. “Please!” he begged as his body shuddered and his entire world narrowed down to the nudge of his mate’s finger against his entrance. Carefully, Jude’s digit worked its way inside his spasming channel and began a slow glide meant to torture and tease. That’s how

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Whitley saw it anyway. Everything felt so amazing, but he needed more. “Let go and stop thinking,” Jude ordered just before his mouth crashed down on Whitley’s again and his tongue plunged inside to explore and pillage the depths of his mouth. Whitley’s brain shortcircuited, and he barely noticed when Jude inserted a second finger into his ass. “Jude, please! Fuck me!” Whitley cried as he wrenched his mouth away and fisted his hands in the blankets beneath him. A sharp pinch and a subtle burn accompanied the addition of a third finger into his needy hole. Jude pumped lazily, sawing his finger in and out as his mouth traveled along the column of Whitley’s throat and over his collarbones. Just when Whitley thought he’d die if things didn’t move along, Jude’s fingers eased out of his tunnel, leaving him feeling empty and unsatisfied. He was back just a quickly though, positioning himself between Whitley’s thighs as he slicked his long, thick cock. Bracing one hand beside Whitley’s head, Jude leaned over him and paused with the crown of his dick barely brushing against Whitley’s hole. “Deep breath, baby.” No one had ever called him by an endearment, much as no one had ever given him a nickname. Whitley wished he could enjoy it more, but right then, all he wanted was that gorgeous dick buried deep inside him. So, he did as instructed, sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Jude stared into his eyes as he surged forward, impaling Whitley on his cock until he was sheathed to the root. Whitley’s eyes went wide, and he began to pant in earnest at the intense burn. God, he felt like he’d split in two. His inner walls strained as they stretched to maximum capacity to accommodate the massive girth of all ten inches of Jude’s shaft. “Relax,” Jude coaxed, caressing Whitley’s chest with his palm. “Just relax and breathe.” He began a slow glide, pulling all the way

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out and slowly easing back in to the base. He did it several times, taking his time and allowing Whitley to adjust. On the third inward stroke, the pain began to subside, and an intense, overwhelming pleasure took its place. Whitley reached up, curled his arms around Jude’s neck, and pulled the man down on top of him. He couldn’t explain it, but he wanted to be as close to Jude as possible without crawling right inside his skin. Thankfully, his lover didn’t seem to mind, because he slid one hand under Whitley’s hips and lifted him off the mattress, holding him securely to his chest as he continued to thrust into his body again and again. Whitley held on for dear life as electricity snapped and sizzled down his spine and his balls drew tight to his body, aching with his need for release. “Harder,” he whispered breathlessly. Taking him at his word, Jude increased the pace, slamming into Whitley’s channel as he jerked his hips up on every thrust, burying his cock as deeply as possible. “Are you going to come for me again, Whit? Or are you going to make me work for it?” The words came out choppy and panted against his ear, but Whitley responded as though it had been a forceful command. His back bowed, the cords in his neck strained, and he cried out to the ceiling when his orgasm slammed into him. Hot, sticky semen burst from his cock to slick their chests and abs where they pressed together, trapping his spurting cock between them. Jude nuzzled his face against the side of Whitley’s neck and groaned while his muscles tensed and scorching lava bathed Whitley’s dark depths. They slumped together in a sweaty, panting heap, and a contented smile played over Whitley’s lips. He felt so tired, but it was the good kind of exhaustion that meant he’d been well and truly ravished. Eventually, Jude’s softening cock slipped from his still-twitching hole, and he rolled to the side, pulling Whitley with him and wrapping him up in his arms. “The next time will be better,” he vowed.

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Whitley didn’t see how the man was going to top that one. “It was perfect.” “I’ve never gone bareback before. I didn’t realize it would feel so good.” “Never?” “No.” Jude peppered kisses over Whitley’s temple. “I didn’t want to take a chance of accidently claiming a mate.” “So, orcas claim their mates by coming inside them?” Had Whitley just been claimed? How did he feel about that?” “Well, if you want to be blunt and crass about it, yes.” Jude nuzzled him some more. “You’re mine now, Whitley Turner. I hope you’re okay with that.” Whitley closed his eyes and sighed. “Yeah, I think I’m more than okay with that.” “So, how do swans claim their mates?” “We don’t really. There’s no special bite or secret handshake or anything like that. Swans mate for life and swan shifters are fiercely loyal. You’re kind of stuck with me now.” He said it flippantly, but he hoped Jude would take it for the vow of his faithfulness that it was. “Mmm, I think I can live with that.” Yeah, everything was always sunshine and daisies during postcoital bliss. Whitley just hoped the man felt the same way when he’d come down from his orgasmic high.

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Chapter Four “You’re sure your parents aren’t going to mind? Did you even tell them I was coming?” Jude was so nervous he could spit as they waited out front of the airport for their ride. Getting his ticket switched from California to Virginia had been fairly simple, though he’d had to do some finagling with one of the passengers so that he could sit beside Whitley during the flight. “Relax.” Whitley offered him a warm smile and took his hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. “Yes, I told my parents, and they can’t wait to meet you. Besides, I don’t actually live with them in their house. I have my own place. It just happens to be on their land.” Jude didn’t really see the difference, but he did appreciate that he wouldn’t have to be tiptoeing around the man’s parents all the time. In fact, it would be fine with him if he didn’t have to see them at all. It did make him wonder one thing, though. “How old are you?” “Twenty-seven.” Jude resisted the urge to groan, but just barely. Even to humans, that was relatively young. In the paranormal world…Jude felt like a dirty old man. “How old are you?” Whitley asked absently, releasing Jude’s hand and reaching for his luggage. “That’s our car.” Everything about Whitley, from the way he dressed to his personality, was so unassuming that Jude had a feeling most people simply overlooked him. The stretch limousine that pulled to the curb was so out of the character with the little he knew about Whitley, Jude rolled his eyes.

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The driver took his time getting out of the vehicle and gathering their luggage. He never greeted Whitley, nor did he bother opening the door for him. It was beyond rude, and completely unprofessional. If it was up to Jude, the dickhead would have been fired on the spot. “Jude, are you coming?” Whitley stood beside the opened back door and looked at him in concern. “Is something wrong?” Jude shook his head mutely, and bent to retrieve his bag, only to find that the driver had already placed it in the trunk for him. Well, at least he’d gotten one thing right. Shaking his head again, he motioned for Whitley to slide into the backseat and quickly joined him. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Whitley asked, seemingly unconcerned about the treatment he’d just received from his driver. “I just wasn’t expecting this,” Jude lied smoothly. “It is a bit pretentious, isn’t it?” Whitley folded his hands in his lap and rolled his eyes. “Mom insisted when she heard I was bringing my mate home. It won’t always be like this.” “So, does your family have a lot of money or something? Should I know who you are?” “I’m nobody,” Whitley answered, and sounded like he believed it. “You didn’t answer my question, though. How old are you, Mr. Chambers?” “Two hundred and nineteen,” Jude answered, watching his mate carefully for his reaction. “Cool.” That’s all he said, and Jude sighed in relief that it wasn’t going to be an issue for the man. They rode in companionable silence for a few miles before Jude tried again. “Seriously, what’s up with the limo? Who are you?” Whitley closed his eyes briefly and groaned. “It’s not a big deal. My dad does some work for UPAC, that’s all.” “What does he do?” Jude reclined in his seat with his arm thrown over the back, not wanting to appear too eager for the information. “You know those nifty cells that UPAC uses to hold paranormals?”

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Jude nodded casually to show he understood, though on the inside he was doing a mental fist pump at the information. There was still one more thing he needed to know, but he didn’t want to push too hard just yet. “Your dad designs those? Your dad is Seymour Turner?” Whitley nodded, seemingly unimpressed. “Yep. He does a few other odd things on the side for different covens, packs, and whatnot, but most of the family money comes from designing and constructing those holding cells.” “He’s a brilliant man.” He spoke the truth, though grudgingly. He couldn’t deny that the cells were ingenious when used appropriately. Normal human cells were all well and good for…well, humans…but an angry dragon or a clever witch would reduce it to a pile of rubble within minutes. The UPAC cells were specially designed to negate a paranormal’s powers so that they couldn’t use them to break out. “Yeah, I guess so.” Jude had the feeling there might be some bad blood between father and son. He was also getting the impression that Whitley didn’t care to talk about it. With his own problems to dwell on, Jude wasn’t too upset by that. If his mate wanted to share with him, he’d be more than happy to listen, but he wasn’t going to prod for information— until he needed it. “What did you do back in California? Are you going to be able to find a job like that here in Virginia?” “I’ve done a lot of different things over the years. I’m not rich, but I have enough put back to survive on for a while if I need. Back home, I built custom-designed boats for people with more money than brains.” Whitley sat up a little straighter and his eyes lit up. “Wow, really? That’s great. So, that’s definitely something you could do here, right?” “Yeah, I guess I could.” That didn’t mean he wanted to, but he supposed it was technically true.

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The car slowed and turned, and Whitley whipped around to stare out the window. “We’re here, but I want to hear all about your job the minute we’re alone. Got it?” Jude chuckled and bobbed his head. “Yeah, I got it.” It wasn’t that important to him, more like a hobby. Most people found it pretty damn boring, but if Whit wanted to hear about the architectural designing of a boat, he didn’t mind sharing. “So, what do you do?” “I work for my dad.” Whitley left it at that and didn’t elaborate. “My mom is waiting for us.” He closed his eyes and groaned. “It’s fine, Whit. Relax. I’m going to have to meet your parents eventually. We might as well get it over with.” Jude didn’t mind meeting his mate’s family. He was actually looking forward to it. “Will your dad be here?” “I’m not sure. He’s almost always in one kind of meeting or another.” He paused and glanced out the window again, fidgeting nervously in his seat. “My mom can be a little intense. So, if it gets to be too much, just tell me, and we’ll leave, okay?” “Whit, come here.” Jude crooked his finger for his mate to come to him, smiling when Whitley complied instantly. Once he had him molded against his side, he wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed the top of his head. “It’s going to be fine. I know I’m going to get the third degree, and I’m okay with that. They’re only doing it because they care about you.” Whitley nodded weakly. “Just don’t leave. You can change anything you want. We never have to see my parents. We can go back to California if you want. Just…just don’t leave.” Even though Whitley didn’t say it, Jude heard him loud and clear. He wasn’t as scared that Jude would leave as he was that Jude would leave him. They barely knew each other, and Whitley’s already extreme attachment made him uncomfortable. He couldn’t deny that something about Whitley drew out his protective instincts. There was no way for him to know if those

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feelings were real, or if they were something fabricated by the mating bond. Maybe it went beyond that, and it had something to do with the potion the elders gave them. Either way, they were stuck together for at least the next four years. He couldn’t go anywhere if he wanted to—which meant there was no reason for Whitley’s insecurities. No, he wasn’t being fair. Whitley knew what would happen if they were separated for any length of time before the next gathering. He was just scared that Jude would leave him to go feral. Jude knew exactly what happened to paranormals who went feral. First came the pain, then the sickness, and finally the delirium until they were left as snarling, screaming, writhing mockeries of themselves. The execution sentence handed down by the elders to those who had gone feral was a blessing. The probability of bringing someone out of that hell was so minimal it was more merciful to just end their suffering. “Hey,” Whitley said quietly. “Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?” Jude shook himself out of his depressing thoughts and plastered a smile on his face for his mate. “No, Whit. I’m fine. Let’s go so I can meet your parents.” **** “Whitley!” his mother sang. “I’ve missed you, dear. How was your trip to Scotland?” Whitley kissed both of his mother’s cheeks as was expected of him. Her falsely cheery attitude was already grating on his nerves, but he didn’t want to scare Jude off the minute the man got out of the car. So, he kept his opinions to himself and turned to introduce his new mate. “Mother, this is my mate, Jude Chambers. Jude, this is—”

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“Please, call me Elaina.” She held her hand out daintily as she looked Jude up and down suspiciously. Was it Whitley’s imagination, or had her face paled just a bit? “My, you are a big one, aren’t you?” Jude took it all in stride with a big smile on his face as he took her hand and brought it to his lips. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elaina.” “When Whitley said he was bringing a mate home, I didn’t expect someone so…” “Tall?” Jude asked jokingly. “Attractive,” Elaina deadpanned. Whitley saw Jude flinch and the way his mouth gaped open momentarily before he could hide his shock. He’d heard it all of his life, though, so it barely fazed him. He’d known Jude was too good for him the minute he’d laid eyes on the man. If Melody hadn’t deceived them, it was unlikely Jude would have even given him a second glance. “Well, thank you, but I must say I’m envious of your son. I’m a pretty face, but he’s the total package. You must be very proud.” “Oh, well, that’s sweet of you, dear.” Elaina’s eyes darted to Whitley, but there was little more than disappointment there. “Whitley, don’t slouch, and what on earth are you wearing?” She plucked at his plaid shirt and wrinkled her nose. “You’ll change before dinner.” Whitley ducked his head, embarrassed by the way his mother was treating him in front of Jude. What was he supposed to do, though? It was his mother, and no matter her faults, he loved her. Besides, if he disrespected his mother, he had his father to deal with. And he made it a point to never deal with his father. “Yes, Mother.” Elaina sniffed haughtily and gave him something that was probably supposed to be a smile before she turned back to Jude. “I’m sorry that my husband isn’t here to meet you. I’m afraid he’s been called away on important business.” “Understandable. I hear that he’s a very busy man. I’m sure we’ll meet soon.” Jude’s smile was still in place, though it was looking a

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little strained. Of course, Elaina was so lost in her little world, she didn’t notice anything amiss. Things were going exactly how Whitley knew they would. The only thing that could have made it worse was the presence of the male members of his family. “Where’s Ashley?” “You have a sister?” Jude arched an eyebrow, but looked nothing more than curious. “My brother,” Whitley answered quickly before his mother could say something snotty. Why she’d insisted on giving them feminine names and then getting indignant when people mistakenly assumed they were girls was beyond him. “He’s around here somewhere.” Elaina turned and strode toward the front door, obviously confident they’d follow. Whitley gave Jude an apologetic smile and motioned for the man to precede him. It wouldn’t do any good to argue with his mother. The woman always got what she wanted. He just wished he knew what she wanted now. “Ah, the prodigal son has returned.” Whitley groaned as he stepped into the foyer and was immediately greeted by the sound of his brother’s snide voice. Could things get any worse? Jude was probably already planning his escape. “And I see you brought me a gift all the way from Scotland. You always were considerate.” Ashley prowled around Jude like a predator stalking his prey while he practically eye-fucked him right there in the entryway. “Ashley, this is my mate, Jude Chambers.” Ashley completely ignored him as he held his hand out to Jude. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” “Likewise,” Jude answered tightly, squeezing Ashley’s hand. Whitley bit the inside of his cheek to hide his smile when he saw his brother wince and pull his hand away quickly. Apparently, Jude wasn’t lapping up the bullshit like everyone else did. That pushed the man a little higher in his estimate.

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“I was just on my way out,” Ashley said, recovering quickly. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon.” “I’m sure we will.” Jude narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. Ashley just smirked like a man who knew what he wanted and expected to have it hand-delivered to him. “I look forward to it.” Then he dipped his head, backed away a few steps, turned, and left. “You have a real charmer there,” Jude said quietly out of the side of his mouth. “He’s not exactly subtle, is he?” He was, however, gorgeous, smart, manipulative, and conniving. Whitley had no doubt that Ashley would have his hooks in Jude if given half a chance. Whitley had to make sure that he wasn’t given that opportunity. “You want to get out of here?” Jude glanced in the direction that Elaina had disappeared to and then back to Whitley. “What about your mother?” Whitley shrugged. “Trust me. She’s happier when she has something to be angry with me about. If it’s not this, it will be something else.” He turned and walked back toward the front door. “Come on, and I’ll show you around your new home.” Pausing with his hand on the doorknob, he glanced over his shoulder as his brow furrowed. “That is, if you still want to stay.” Uncrossing his arms and letting them dangle at his sides, Jude chuckled quietly and crossed the checkered tile, pressing up against Whitley’s back. Then his hand covered Whitley’s over the doorknob and turned it. “We’ve been over this, Whit. After growing up with my dad, your family is comparably tame. It’s going to take a lot more than that to scare me off.” Unfortunately, Whitley knew his family was capable of dishing out a lot more than they’d shown. Hell, they’d practically been on their best behavior. He’d be surprised if Jude made it through the month.

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“Be careful around Ashley. He’s not someone who’s used to hearing no. He won’t give up until he gets what he wants.” Soft, warm lips ghosted up the side of his neck, ending at his ear. “I don’t want your brother,” Jude whispered, sending a shiver up Whitley’s spine. His tongue snaked out and glided along the shell of Whitley’s ear. “Has it been twenty-four hours yet?” Whitley moaned as he leaned back against Jude’s chest. “We’ve got a few hours.” “Mmm, are you sure? We can’t be too careful. Wouldn’t want to risk something…delaying us, would we?” “No,” Whitley answered distractedly while he tried to control the trembling in his legs. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure what the question was. He was pretty sure it involved them both naked, however, which was as much as he needed to know. Jude’s lips stretched into a grin against the side of his neck. “Then lead the way, Whit.”

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Chapter Five Jude wasn’t particularly proud of the way he’d handled the situation with Whitley’s family. He knew all their problems couldn’t be solved with sex, but it had seemed like the perfect distraction at the time. Jude just couldn’t help his body’s reaction to the gorgeous man. “We need to shower and get ready for dinner. My mom’s going to be pissed enough as it is.” Whitley made no move to get out of bed, though. He sprawled on his back with his hand over his heart, staring up at the ceiling with flushed cheeks and a contented smile. With his normally uptight mate looking so deliciously debauched, Jude figured he had the right to feel a little cocky. He’d done that. He’d brought that smile to Whitley’s face. “I think we should shower together. It would save time, and of course, we should conserve water.” Whitley closed his eyes and chuckled. “You are incorrigible.” “Can I help it that I have a sexy mate who I can’t seem to keep my hands off of?” Jude rolled to his side and began drawing circles in the cooling cum on Whitley’s soft belly with his fingertips. Whitley responded by groaning softly and arching up into his touch. His half-hard cock twitched with renewed interest, swelling rapidly and flexing so that it bumped against Jude’s wrist. As much as Jude wanted to continue, they were already going to be late as it was. “C’mon, Whit. Let’s get that shower.” “Don’t stop,” Whitley begged, grabbing Jude’s hand and pushing it toward his groin in a bold move that was so unlike him, Jude didn’t resist at first.

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“Hey.” Jude loomed over his lover, waiting for him to open his eyes and focus on him. “I’d be more than happy to stay right here in bed for the rest of the night. We’re going to have to face your parents sooner or later, though. Why don’t we just get it over with, okay?” Whitley sighed through his nose, biting his lip as he nodded slowly. “Yeah, you’re right.” He didn’t sound very happy about it, though. “You want the shower first?” It was on the tip of his tongue to argue, but he knew they’d never make it to dinner if they bathed together. A wet, naked Whitley was a temptation he couldn’t resist. “Actually, I need to make a couple of phone calls, so you can go first.” Bless his heart, but he didn’t even ask who Jude needed to call. He just shrugged adorably, climbed out of bed, and padded into the bathroom, wiggling his naked ass the entire way. The sway of his hips looked so inviting Jude actually contemplated chasing after him, but in the end, he let Whitley go and dug through his jeans for his cell phone. Settling on the side of the bed, he waited until he heard the shower running before dialing and pressing the phone to his ear. When it started ringing, he rose from the mattress and padded out of the room, searching out a bit more privacy. “Young man, where are you?” Jude sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he paced the kitchen. “Hello, Cara, I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” “Don’t you sass me, Jude Christopher,” she shot back in her nononsense tone. “I asked you a question.” “Sorry, Cara. I’m stressed and cranky. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.” The woman had raised him like her own since he was nine. She was the only one who’d always been there for him and never let him down. “I miss you.” “You know I miss you, too, honey. Now stop dodging my question and tell me where you’re at. Are the rumors true about the gathering? Did the elders really force everyone to mate?”

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“They’re true,” Jude answered with a heavy sigh. “I’m in Virginia with my mate.” “Oh, Jude, that’s wonderful. Congratulations, my boy. You’ll have to tell me all about her r—” “Him,” Jude corrected. Cara didn’t even miss a beat. “Well, then you’ll tell me all about him right after you tell me what in God’s name you’re doing clear out there in Virginia. Why didn’t you bring this mate of yours here?” “Did Father make it home?” Jude hedged. “Jude.” Cara’s tone turned deadly serious. “That’s why I’m calling. It’s not safe for Carter here. That boy needs you.” His heart galloped in his chest, knocking hard against his sternum. “Is he hurt? Cara, did Dad hurt Carter?” “You need to come home, Jude. Bring your mate if you have to, but get here.” Heavy silence hung for a brief moment before she spoke again. “Someone’s coming. I have to go.” A loud click sounded in his ear, followed by nothing but silence. “Fuck!” Jude roared, kicking at one of the kitchen chairs and sending it careening across the white tiles. A soft gasp drew his attention, and he spun around, a deep growl rumbling in his chest as his upper lip curled over his teeth. Whitley stood just inside the doorway, wearing nothing but a towel slung low on his hips, his hair still dripping from the shower. His eyes were wide and startled, and his lips pressed together so tightly they were turning white as he stared at the destruction that had once been his kitchen chair. The thing lay in a broken heap against the back door, a testament to how badly Jude had lost it. “Whit,” Jude said quietly, taking a step forward. He reached out for his mate, but Whitley flinched back from him, shaking his head rapidly. Knowing that the man wasn’t just scared, but afraid of him made Jude feel about three inches tall. It had been a long time since he’d let his temper get the better of him like that, and he hated that Whitley had to see that side of him.

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“Whitley,” he said almost in a whisper. “I’m not going to hurt you. I would never hurt you.” Whitley snorted derisively. “Violent men don’t just pick and choose who they’re violent toward.” Then his brain seemed to catch up with what his mouth was saying, and the blood drained from his face so quickly, Jude thought he’d pass out right there in the kitchen. One hand came up to cover his mouth as his eyes went so wide, they looked in danger of popping out of his skull. Jude didn’t fault him for what he’d said, though. People got angry. It happened every day. They didn’t go around smashing furniture like some damn barbarian, though. It did, however, give him another little peek into the enigma that was Whitley Turner. “I don’t know who hurt you, but I’m not them, Whit. I got mad, lost my cool, and kicked the chair. That doesn’t mean I’m going to start smacking you around.” Whitley stared at him for a long time before his eyes tightened at the corners, and he nodded slowly. “Why were you so angry?” He’d hoped to have more time to ease Whitley into it, but after his conversation with Cara, he couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. “Someone I love is being hurt, and I’m not there to stop it.” “Your brother?” “Yes.” Whitley continued to study him a bit longer before he finally bobbed his head slowly. “Then let’s go get him.” “Just like that?” The guy had looked about ready to piss himself after Jude’s outburst, but now he was ready to charge into a volatile situation with him without knowing all the facts? “You need help. I can help.” Whitley held his hands out to his sides and shrugged. “Do you want to get your brother or not?” “My dad isn’t going to just let us take him. If it was that easy, I’d have had him out of there months ago.” Jude settled his hands on his hips and frowned. “It could be dangerous.”

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“You think I’m weak.” Whitley bobbed his head as though this wasn’t anything new and he completely expected it. “You’re probably right. I let everyone push me around, walk all over me, and treat me like shit. Hell, you saw the way my own family feels about me.” He crossed his arms over his lean chest and sighed. “I want to help you, though. I don’t need to be able to throw a punch to do that.” “You don’t even know me, Whit. Why would you put your neck on the line for me?” Jude had already been planning to ask him to do just that, but it confused him that Whitley would offer without being persuaded. “Partly because you’re my mate and if you get yourself killed, I’m going down with you.” He paused and rubbed his palm over his short, wet hair. “Mostly, though, it’s because you’re the first person who has ever needed me.” He wasn’t whining, nor did he seem sad about the fact. It was stated as simple truth—one that had been drilled into him from an early age, Jude assumed. While he appreciated that Whitley didn’t feel sorry for himself, he didn’t like the way the guy viewed himself, either. From the little he knew about him, Whitley was smart, kind, and selfless. They weren’t qualities that would move him up the proverbial food chain, but they didn’t make him weak, either. Even though he needed Whitley’s help, Jude honestly liked the guy. With that being said, he decided if he was dragging his mate into the shark’s tank, he wanted Whitley to at least know some basic selfdefense. It wouldn’t win any wars, but it might keep the man from ending up dead or worse. And yes, there were worse things than death. “How quick can you get us to Santa Rosa?” “Dad should return in a couple of hours. Once they check the plane over and refuel, we can leave.” “You have your own plane?” Jude shook his head quickly. “Never mind. Thank you, Whit.”

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Whitley smiled crookedly, and his eyes twinkled with mischief. “Hey, it gets me out of dinner with my mother.” **** “Okay, stomp on my foot and throw your head, elbow, and hips back.” “Jude, I’m going to hurt you.” Whitley didn’t know about this. While part of him was dying to learn how to keep himself from becoming yet another person’s punching bag, he didn’t know if he could purposely hurt his mate. “That’s the point, Whit.” One of Jude’s arms was wrapped around his throat, while the other dangled limply at his side. Jude explained that if someone was holding him in this particular position, they were mostly likely using their other hand to point a gun at someone while they used Whitley as either leverage or a human shield. Neither sounded very appealing to him. “I can’t do this.” “Just do it.” “I can’t.” “Stop saying that and fucking do it.” Jude growled in his ear, and Whitley shivered, though not from fear. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to hurt Jude. Shifting his feet in the grass, Whitley glanced around his backyard and sighed. “I’m sorry. This isn’t going to work.” Jude’s arm tightened around his throat, cutting off his airflow. “Do it,” he snarled. “Or are you too weak to stop me?” Whitley struggled and pulled at Jude’s arms, but he might as well have been trying to bend a steel bar for all the good it did. “What are you going to do, Whit?” Jude taunted as his arm tightened around Whitley’s neck, sending him into a panic. “You can stop me anytime you want. Just do what I showed you.”

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His lungs burned, and the need to breathe was overwhelming. The more he struggled against his mate’s hold, the tighter Jude held him, until Whitley just knew he was going to pass out from oxygen deprivation. “Do it!” Whitley bent his knee, lifting his foot off the ground, and then slammed it down on top of Jude’s as hard as he could. He heard a muffled grunt, and the arm around his neck loosened. Gaining confidence from that, he jerked his head back, wincing when it connected solidly with Jude’s chin. His elbow and hips moved simultaneously, and Jude groaned, releasing his hold, and Whitley tumbled to the ground, gasping for air. A huge smile spread over his lips a moment later, and he rolled over in the grass to look up at Jude. “I did it.” Jude rubbed his jaw and midsection, but he was also smiling, and looked mostly unscathed from the ordeal. “Told you so.” “How do I keep from getting hit?” Whitley asked, climbing to his feet and brushing the dirt off his ass. “Stand in front of me.” Whitley bounced into place, eager to learn more from his mate. “Now, what would you do if I was going to hit you?” Jude cocked his arm back, then threw it forward, his huge fist aiming right for Whitley’s nose. Whitley reacted on instinct by dropping to the ground, curling into a ball, and wrapping his arms around his head. “Well, that would work for about two seconds,” Jude said with a sigh. “Let’s try again.” Uncurling himself, Whitley pushed to his feet and tilted his head to the side. “It’s worked before,” he said defensively. That wasn’t strictly true. Other than Jude’s father, it had never dissuaded his attackers in the least. It did save him a lot of facial bruising, though. “Right.” Jude’s sarcasm wasn’t very flattering. “Try this instead.”

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They worked together for another half hour, Whitley soaking up everything he could learn. Jude was an excellent teacher, and it didn’t hurt that he was easy on the eyes as well. He never lost his patience, but he knew when and how to push Whitley when he needed it. “Good, good,” Jude praised. “Do it again.” His fist cut through the air again, and Whitley responded by ducking to the side and throwing his arm up to shield the blow. “Excellent!” Beaming with pride, Whitley stretched up on his toes and pressed his lips to Jude’s in a loud, smacking kiss. They never really touched unless they were having sex, so he hoped it was allowed. He figured it was when he pulled back to find Jude smiling at him. Whitley’s phone began to ring before either of them could speak, and he dug it out of his pocket, connected the call, and pressed it to his ear. “Hey, Benny, are we ready?” “We’ll be ready for takeoff in about forty minutes, Mr. Turner.” “How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?” Whitley rolled his eyes and huffed. “Okay, we’ll be there in thirty. Thanks for doing this, Benny.” “It’s my job.” There was a little pause, and when his pilot spoke again, there was a smile in his voice. “You know I’m happy to help, Whitley. I’ll see you soon.” Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, Whitley looked up at the darkening sky, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “I guess this is it.” “Are you scared?” It was a reasonable question, and Jude didn’t sound mocking at all. “A little, I guess.” He winked at his mate to lighten the mood. “It still beats the hell out of staying here and facing my mom.” Jude didn’t look very amused, though. “You’d rather fly across the country and risk possible bodily harm than have dinner with your family?” “Yeah, that about sums it up.”

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Chapter Six “So, tell me about your brother.” Jude spoke of Carter as if he was a kid, which meant there had to be a huge age difference between them. Jude sighed and settled farther down in his seat. “Carter is my half-brother. My mom died when I was nine, and Dad had another woman living with him a week after she was buried.” It was obviously a painful memory for Jude. Whitley leaned forward in his seat where he sat across from his mate, and took Jude’s hand in both of his own. “I’m sorry about your mom.” His relationship with his own mother could be described as strained at best, but the sadness in Jude’s voice said that hadn’t been the case for him. “Thanks.” Jude squeezed Whitley’s hand a little and peered out the small, oval window. “There were a string of women in and out after that until he met Isa Gamble.” “Gamble?” Whitley’s eyebrows drew together, and he flipped through his memories, trying to determine where he’d heard the name before. “Yes, as in the daughter of Emmett Gamble, the elder that presides over the oceanic shifters.” “I heard he took over for all the water-dwelling shifters—not just the saltwater variety.” It wasn’t the most helpful thing he could have said, but it was the first thing that popped into Whitley’s mind, and it just sort of tumbled out before he could stop it. Jude only chuckled, though. “It could be. I don’t have any use for politics, so I tend to zone out when someone starts talking about it.”

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His thumb idly moved back and forth across the side of Whitley’s hand, sending tingles up his arm. “Anyway, Isa doesn’t have much power, but her father does, so Dad was determined to hold on to her. That didn’t stop him from keeping other mistresses on the side, however. I don’t know the whole story, and I don’t want to know. About six months ago, this bright-eyed teenager shows up on our doorstep looking for his father. You could tell just by looking at him that he was my father’s son.” “I imagine his wife didn’t take very kindly to that. How long have they been together?” “Forty-two years,” Jude answered with a twisted grin. “And you’re right. Isa packed up and moved out the same day.” “Why didn’t your dad just send Carter away? He obviously didn’t want him there.” Whitley had a feeling he knew the answer, though. It was all about power. “My dad is nuts, okay? He’s also one of those people that never does anything wrong. If things don’t work out for him, it’s always someone else’s fault. Carter’s mom died last year, so he couldn’t blame her. That left Carter. In Reginald Chambers’ mind, Carter is the reason he lost Isa, or more to the point, the money and power she brought to the relationship.” “I get it.” Whitley laced his fingers through Jude’s and brought their linked hands to his lips to brush a kiss over Jude’s knuckles. “We’ll get him out of there.” Something Jude had said earlier came back to him. “If Carter has been there for less than a year, why couldn’t you ever leave?” “Carter isn’t the only one who depends on me. Cara has been like a mother to me for most of my life. The rest of my dad’s staff is more of a family to me than he ever was. I have enough money to take care of myself, but I can’t keep all of those people fed and clothed on my own. I figured the least I could do was stick around and run interference with my father.”

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“You’re a good man with a big heart. There’s no shame in that. Maybe you don’t have to bear all the responsibility, though.” It sounded like an enormous burden to Whitley, far too much for one man to shoulder. “Well, I have you now, don’t I?” Jude winked before releasing Whitley’s hand, settling back in his seat, and closing his eyes. “I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.” Whitley didn’t either, especially if that “anyone” was him. “Do you have a plan, or are we just going to show up and kind of wing it?” He liked to have his ducks lined up all nice and neat, but he didn’t have a clue where to start with this one. “We’ll wait until my dad is out of the house.” Jude opened his eyes and looked at Whitley seriously. “After that, it’s just a lot of luck.” He sat up a little straighter in his seat. “Do you know anything about those cells that your dad builds?” “Carter is in a cell?” Whitley asked in shock. Jude nodded, studying him carefully. “It’s a portable cell, more like a big cage in the middle of a room.” Whitley nodded slowly. “Yeah, I can help with that.” “Training to take over the family business?” Jude asked with a smirk. “Not exactly.” Whitley bit his lip and looked away. What good would it do to tell Jude that he was actually the one to design the cells and his father only built them? No one had ever believed him, and after a while, he just quit trying to convince them. “Well, I’ll appreciate any help you can give me.” Jude shifted around in his seat and closed his eyes again. “Wake me up when we get close.” Whitley had more questions he wanted to ask, but he kept them to himself. Curling his legs under him in his seat, he propped his chin up in his palm and stared out the window. It wasn’t much of a view, mostly just dark clouds, but it didn’t matter. He barely saw them anyway.

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The only way Reginald Chambers could have a holding cell in his home was through his connections with UPAC, or because Whitley’s own father had built it for him. Since he’d never heard of Jude or his psychotic dad, he was leaning toward the former. That didn’t make him feel any better, though. He’d discovered how to mute a paranormal’s power by accident, but after that, it hadn’t taken him long to realize the potential of the information. Now, something he’d designed to help keep people safe from the most savage of their kind was being used as a prison for an innocent kid. He didn’t know what the elders had done before the invention of the cells—maybe sedation? Of course he’d needed capital to get his idea up and running, and that’s when he’d made the mistake of going to his father. He should have known that something was up when his dad agreed without hesitation, question, or reservation. Even at the age of sixteen, he should have known better, but he’d so desperately wanted his family’s approval, he hadn’t stop to think through the consequences. Before the first cell was even completed or tested, Seymour had sold the idea to UPAC. Whitley didn’t know how much his father had signed the contract for, but the only money he saw out of it was what his father paid him to keep quiet and continuing drawing up new designs and upgrades for the holding cells. Dragging himself out of his chair, he left his sleeping mate to go rummage through the galley. After his depressing trip down memory lane, he could really use a pick-me-up. Although he’d dismissed the flight crew before departure, he hoped they had remembered to stock his favorite chocolates. **** Jude wasn’t feeling very happy with himself as he slid into the backseat of the SUV waiting for them at the airport. It seemed to be a

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common reoccurrence when he was in Whitley’s presence. The man was nothing like he’d expected him to be, and guilt settled into his gut like a lead weight at what he was doing to his mate. It was too late to turn back now, but he promised himself that once Carter was safe, he’d make it up to Whitley. He wasn’t sure how he’d accomplish it, but he’d find a way. “Welcome home, Jude,” his driver said with a cheery smile. “It’s good to have you back.” “Thank you, Arman.” Jude gave the man a genuine smile and turned in his seat, waving a hand to indicate Whitley. “This is my mate, Whitley Turner. Whit, this is Arman. He’s part of my dad’s staff and a good friend.” “It’s nice to meet you, Arman.” Whitley smiled and dipped his head before settling back and buckling his seat belt. “Likewise, Mr. Turner.” Arman spoke cordially, but Jude didn’t think he missed the trace of distrust in his voice. He didn’t like it, but he understood. Outsiders usually spelled trouble. If Whitley noticed the less-than-warm welcome, he gave no indication of it. He just leaned his head against the headrest, folded his hands in his lap, and closed his eyes. The man had to be exhausted. The last time he’d really slept was the night before leaving Scotland. That was pushing twenty-four hours awake, though. “What’s going on at home, Arman?” “Well, your dad is pissed, that’s for sure. I don’t know what the hell you two tangled about at the gathering, but he came home with a chip on his shoulder. He’s been stomping around the place, snarling at anyone who gets in his way. We’ve been doing what we can to distract him from Carter, but I don’t know how much longer it will work. He’s already fired Judith.” Jude dropped his head and groaned. None of it was his fault, and yet everything was his fault. He should have never left. Three days he’d been gone, and already things were going to shit. Defying his

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father and accepting Whitley as his mate probably hadn’t helped things any, either. “What’s his schedule for tomorrow?” Arman knew exactly what he was asking for, which made things a hell of a lot easier. “He has dinner reservations for seven o’clock. I have strict instruction to pick him up precisely at seven forty.” That didn’t leave them much time to get in, get Carter, and get out. “Where are his reservations?” “The Clover.” Less than a ten minute drive, so that gave them just under an hour. “Whit, how long will it take you to get the cell open?” Whitley’s brow scrunched, but he didn’t open his eyes. “I’d have to see the setup first. I’d guess no more than twenty minutes, though.” Jude sighed in relief. They could do this. “We need a car,” he mumbled more to himself than anyone else. His pickup was still parked in the garage, but his father would surely notice its absence. They could use it once they had Carter, but they needed a way to get to the house in the first place. “Can’t we just get a cab?” Whitley asked, finally opening his eyes and sitting up a little straighter. “Uh, yeah, I guess we could.” It didn’t seem very cloak-anddagger. Who the hell took a cab to a rescue mission? “I have an alternative,” Arman said over his shoulder. “I’m all ears,” Jude responded. “You could stay in the pool house. Your father was pretty well hammered when I left. It took three of the staff to get him up to his room. He’ll never know you’re there.” “Exactly what was your plan if he hadn’t been falling down drunk?” Jude hadn’t thought it out very well when he’d called Cara and asked to have a car meet them at the airstrip. “He always goes to bed drunk,” Arman countered. Jude couldn’t refute that, so he just chuckled and shook his head. “Okay, then the pool house it is.”

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Whitley looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just pressed his lips together and went back to staring out the window. With so many different thoughts floating around his head, Jude didn’t pay it much attention. If the man had something to add to the conversation, he’d eventually spit it out. Otherwise, it wasn’t any help, and therefore, any use to him. His mate turned to him again, opened his mouth, closed it, and shook his head. He did it twice more, and Jude found it damn distracting. “If you have something to say, just spit out.” “What about guards?” “There aren’t any guards.” Whitley tilted his head to the side and frowned, but didn’t say anything else. The behavior was beginning to grate at Jude’s nerves. He needed Whitley, though. Growling at the man and pissing him off wasn’t going to earn him any favors. The next few miles went by in a tense silence, and Jude was starting to feel suffocated in the confinement of the vehicle. He just had to hold it together for a while longer. It would all be over soon. Then he just had to focus on what came next. He couldn’t leave the staff to take the fall for Carter’s disappearance. He was going to have to come clean with Whitley eventually as well. Not one thing he’d said had been a lie, but there was a whole lot he wasn’t telling. Number one on that list being that they weren’t going back to Virginia once this was finished. Jude felt like the scum of the planet for keeping things from Whitley, but there wasn’t any way around it. Carter was counting on him, and there was nothing he wouldn’t risk to keep his brother safe.

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Chapter Seven “You looked like you had something to say in the car.” Whitley bit his lip and stared at the blank television. They had all of the blinds and curtains closed, and only one lamp burning. He understood the need to keep a low profile, but it made him nervous. “Whit?” Oh, he’d had plenty to say inside the SUV, and he still did. He just didn’t know if he should say it. There were several things that weren’t adding up with Jude’s story, but maybe he was just being paranoid. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d jumped to conclusions only to find out that he’d been completely wrong about the situation. Jude sighed and flopped down on the sofa beside him. “Just tell me whatever it is you want to say.” “Why are we doing this? I mean, why don’t you just go to the elders? Surely they’re not going to let your dad hold Carter prisoner like this.” Whitley had assumed their sneaky behavior had something to do with a bunch of hired guards. When Jude informed him that there were no guards at the house, the first niggling of doubt formed and spread like wildfire from there. “Elder Gamble doesn’t want my brother’s existence to leak out any more than my father does. Not only does it prove what a lying, cheating piece of crap my dad is, but it makes Isa look bad as well.” “That’s only one elder, Jude. There are plenty of others. Take your pick.” Jude shook his head stubbornly. “I can’t risk it. I don’t know how many of them know about this or support Gamble and my father. I can’t risk going to the wrong person. I’d never see Carter again.”

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Pinching the bridge of his nose, Whitley closed his eyes and swallowed down the groan that built in his chest. “Then why are we trying to sneak him out? If there aren’t any guards, then that only leaves your dad to stop us. I’m pretty sure you can overpower him.” “And how long do you think it would take him to call Elder Gamble and have UPAC guards breathing down our necks?” Jude was getting angry, but he still wasn’t making any sense as far as Whitley could see. “You think he’s not going to know who took him?” “He’ll know, but by the time he realizes something’s wrong, we’ll have a head start. We just need to lay low until I figure out who we can trust.” If the man hadn’t figured that out in the six months since Carter landed in his life, Whitley doubted he was going to do it before they were caught for kidnapping. Jude was hiding something. Whitley didn’t expect him to spill all his secrets after only a day, but this was different. This was Whitley’s ass on the line if they got caught. He figured if he was putting himself out there for persecution, he at least had the right to know what the hell he was doing it for. “I’m going to get some sleep.” Maybe it would make more sense when he woke up, because right now, he wasn’t feeling very friendly toward his mate. “Maybe we should get this whole consummation thing out of the way. Then I won’t have to wake you up later, and you can just sleep until my dad leaves.” Whitley’s mouth hung open for a second before he snapped it closed. Had Jude seriously just said that? He’d made sex into a chore—something to put on his to-do list. “You know what, Jude?” Whitley closed his eyes and sighed. “Honestly, you can just go fuck yourself.” Then he turned and marched out of the room, leaving Jude sputtering behind him. “Of all the stupid, arrogant…” He grumbled under his breath as he navigated the short hallway and stepped into

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the only bedroom. Well, at least the place had a bedroom, and he’d be able to get away from his dear mate for a while. Closing the door behind him, he shucked his clothes and climbed into bed. His entire body was shaking by the time he’d pulled the blankets up around his shoulders. Never in his life had he said something that rude to another person. He’d just been so hurt and angry that Jude could even think something like that, let alone say it aloud. They didn’t know each other well, not yet anyway. Whitley had felt they had a connection, though. At the very least, he figured they had a mutual respect for one another. Neither of them had asked to be thrown together and bonded to each other. Still, Whitley was doing his best to make it work, and Jude’s careless words made him feel like a low-rent prostitute. “Whitley?” The bedroom door eased open, and Whitley squeezed his eyes closed. “Whit, I’m sorry. That was a stupid thing to say. I didn’t mean it like that, okay?” Right, because there was any other way for him to take it. “Jude, it’s at least eight hours until we have to worry about it. Can you maybe come back then?” Whitley was scaring himself with his behavior. He never talked back, never made waves. That was before he had a mate, though. His family might not respect him. His former lovers never had. But damn it! He didn’t think he was asking too much to expect it from the one person who was always supposed to have his back. The end of the bed dipped as Jude settled himself down on the mattress. Whitley had never met a more pig-headed person in his life. He couldn’t make the guy leave, but that didn’t mean he had to acknowledge him. “Can we please talk?” “No.” Well, that had gone well. Whitley couldn’t even ignore a person properly.

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“Look, I’m stressed out and exhausted, and I was a dick. I’m sorry, Whit. I didn’t think before I said that shit. You know I think more of you than a way to get my rocks off.” Whitley pushed up in bed and turned to face his mate. “No, I don’t know that. How the hell am I supposed to know that? I can’t read your fucking mind, Jude! So that just leaves your actions, and your actions aren’t saying very nice things right now.” “I knew there was some fire in there somewhere,” Jude joked. Whitley wasn’t amused. “You are such a dick.” “Where is all of this coming from? I mean, I know I was out of line about the sex comment, but I get the feeling it started before that.” “You’re lying about something,” Whitley blurted. Jude closed his eyes and his shoulders slumped, confirming Whitley’s suspicions. When he looked up again, there wasn’t as much contrition there as Whitley had expected to see. “The Council can’t know about Carter, okay? Just…Just trust me, Whit.” “That’s a pretty tall order considering you haven’t given me a single reason to trust you since we met. I was willing to believe you were a good guy until you proved me wrong. Seems like all you’ve been doing since we left Virginia is just that—proving me wrong.” “That’s not what I’m trying to do.” Jude scrubbed roughly at his face and growled. “There are just some things that I can’t tell you.” “Yet, you still want my help.” Hell, that was all Jude wanted. Once he learned that Whitley could manipulate the security on the cell, he didn’t seem to have any other use for him. “Yes.” “I’ll help,” Whitley conceded. “I’m not doing it for you, though. I’m doing it for Carter.” Jude gave him a strange look he couldn’t decipher before quickly looking away. “So am I.” ****

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Jude paced restlessly across the carpeted floor, rubbing at his arms and growling under his breath. His skin crawled, his insides boiled, and sweat dampened his shirt so that it clung to him uncomfortably. His brain argued that sex wasn’t on the agenda, but his body wasn’t getting the message. His dick was hard enough to cut glass and not very happy being confined inside the denim of his jeans. Even if Whitley was willing—which, after his little outburst, Jude doubted he was—there wasn’t time. His father would be leaving in twenty minutes to make his reservations, and they needed to be ready to move. Stomping to the bedroom door, he banged on it loudly. “Whit, it’s time.” The bedroom door opened, and Whitley glared at him, his face flushed as sweat beaded across his forehead. He was completely dressed, and looked just as uncomfortable as Jude felt. “What happens if we fail to have sex every twenty-four hours?” “According to the elders, we lose our ability to shift and go feral. It’s still bearable. We’ll be fine for a little while longer.” Whitley growled and shoved past him. “Just stop talking. Everything out of your mouth pisses me off.” He scratched at his arms and tugged on the collar of his cotton shirt. “You are without a doubt the shittiest mate on the planet.” Jude knew he wasn’t doing a stellar job, but he didn’t know if he would take it that far. “I’m trying, Whit. What do you want from me?” “Forget it. So, what’s the plan?” Taking a chance, Jude skimmed his fingertips down the back of Whitley’s neck, smiling when his mate shivered. “This is important, Whit. We don’t have a huge window to make this work. I promise I’m going to take good care of you as soon as we get out of here. Please trust me.” He was asking a lot of the man and giving very little in return, but he couldn’t take a chance that Whitley would bail on him.

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Moving closer, he molded himself to Whitley’s back, wound his arms around his lover’s chest, and kissed the side of his neck. “We’re in this together, right? I’m hurting the same as you, but you know what? I’d want you even if I wasn’t.” It wasn’t just a line he plucked out of the air to gain Whitley’s compliance, either. Whitley was unlike anyone he’d met and very different than Jude assumed he’d be. There was something so lost about him, but he had an inner strength he hadn’t even realized yet. Even if it hadn’t started that way, Whitley was quickly becoming someone Jude could see himself falling for. “When we get out of this mess, I want the truth, Jude. I want to know everything. I think you owe me that much.” “Once we’re safe, we’ll sit down and talk for days if that’s what you want. I’ll tell you every thought I’ve ever had.” “That’s not what I want.” Whitley pulled out of his arms and turned around to face him. “I don’t need to know your life story up front. I just want to know the parts that involve me. This.” He waved toward the window, indicating their current situation. “This involves me, and I have a right to know.” He was right, of course. The less he knew, the better off they’d all be, though. This had seemed like such a great plan in the beginning, but now Jude just felt conflicted. On one hand, he needed Whitley’s help to get his brother out of that cell. On the other hand, Whitley wasn’t some spoiled, arrogant jerk like Jude had imagined a Turner to be. The guy had jumped right in to help him without demanding anything in return. Jude was still trying to navigate the line of right and wrong when his cell phone chirped with a text message from Arman, telling him that it was go time. “They’re leaving.” “Let’s get this over with.” There was none of the spark in Whitley’s eyes that he’d had while they’d been practicing moves in his backyard. He didn’t look worried or concerned like he had on the plane, or confused and frustrated as he had in the car. The anger from

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moments before was gone, and he didn’t even appear shy and timid as he had when Jude had first met him. He simply looked vacant. The look made Jude’s insides shrivel and his gut clench painfully. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. He hadn’t set out to hurt Whitley. They were supposed to have more time together before he unloaded all this drama on the guy. Things hadn’t worked out that way, though, and now there was nowhere to go but forward. With nothing to say that could possibly make things any better, Jude simply nodded, grabbed his backpack off the floor, and reached for Whitley’s. His mate stopped him, grabbed the bag, and hoisted it over his own shoulder before turning his back and marching toward the door. It wasn’t heavy, but Jude figured it was something small he could do for the man. Apparently, he’d been wrong. Whitley didn’t want anything in exchange for his help. He didn’t want anything from Jude at all. That wasn’t exactly true. He wanted Jude to be a good mate. Anything would be a step up from how he’d acted so far, but Jude couldn’t worry about that just then. “There’s a service way the yard crew uses to navigate the grounds. We’ll follow that to the back of the house and through the kitchen.” “Fine.” Whitley opened the door and motioned for Jude to go first. “Lead the way.” Pausing beside his mate before exiting the pool house, Jude looked into Whitley’s eyes for a long moment. “I’m sorry.” Whitley stared back at him vacantly, even as sweat continued to roll off his face and his body trembled with barely suppressed need. “Yeah, I know.” With a little piece of him dying inside, Jude nodded curtly and stepped through the door, waiting for Whitley to join him before jogging up the path that led to the main house. The trip wasn’t long, taking barely more than a minute to reach the back door.

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Jude peeked in through the glass, smiling when he found Lucia moving about the kitchen. Pushing the door open, he held his finger to his lips to silence her when she spun around with a gasp of surprise. Her eyes were wide, but she nodded her understanding and pointed toward the ceiling. “Your pickup will be waiting out front,” she said quietly then went back to her chores as though two men hadn’t just burst into her kitchen. Checking over his shoulder to make sure Whitley was still following, Jude led him through the house and up a winding flight of stairs. Hurrying down the hallway, he paused at the last door on the left and pressed his ear to it, checking for any sounds inside. When he heard nothing, he motioned for Whitley to stay put while he raced back down the hall, into his father’s study, and straight to his desk, rifling through the drawers until he came up with the key to the room. Once he had the piece of metal firmly in his grasp, he darted back to his mate, slipped the key in the lock, and turned it at the same time he turned the doorknob. The minute they stepped into the room, a loud scream rent through the air, and Carter bared his teeth. His eyes were wide and crazed, his nostrils flared, and he snarled viciously at them. He looked like he hadn’t been bathed or fed in days. His clothes hung off of him like pieces of scrap material, and his hair appeared tangled and matted. There were fresh burns and bruises littering the exposed skin, and Jude wanted to find his father and tear him apart slowly. “Carter, we’re going to get you out. Just hold on, okay?” If he understood, Carter gave no indication of it as he threw himself against the bars of his cage and roared at them. Jude shook his head sadly and turned back to his mate. “We need to hurry.” Whitley stood frozen in place, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. “Why didn’t you tell me? Jude, this is fucking crazy. I can’t do this.”

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“Whit, you have to.” Jude resisted the urge to grab the man and shake him. “I know it’s bad, but he’s my brother. He’s just a kid, and he doesn’t deserve this. Please!” “Bad?” Whitley shook his head slowly. “This isn’t bad, Jude. This is so much worse.” “It’s not that bad.” He had to believe that it wasn’t, and Carter was only in the first stages. Everything would be fine. He hadn’t lost him yet. “Jude!” Whitley yelled at him. “He’s feral.”

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Chapter Eight Well, Whitley finally understood why Jude couldn’t go to the elders with this. No way in hell would they allow him to free Carter without executing him on the spot. “How did this happen?” “Can we talk later?” Jude pushed a hand through his dark hair and groaned. “We don’t have a lot of time. Just shut down the cage so we can get out of here.” “And just what do you plan to do when we get him free? He’s not in his right mind, Jude. He doesn’t know who you are, and he’d just as soon attack you than hug you.” “I’ll deal with it. I just need you to get the fucking cell open!” Jude roared at him. Whitley jumped and stumbled back a few steps before regaining his composure and dipping his head. He was doing this for Carter, because no matter if the kid had lost his mind or not, what had been done to him wasn’t right. “Thank you,” Jude said reverently when Whitley dropped his backpack by the door and hurried across the room. Whitley ignored him. It was already difficult to concentrate with Carter screaming and snarling and his own body overheating because of whatever curse the elders had saddled them with. He was so furious with Jude, he almost wished he had the guts to just leave and never look back. Now that he was faced with what happened when a shifter went feral, he was too chickenshit to want something like that to happen to him.

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Skirting around to the back of the portable cell, he knelt near a small metal box attached to one of the steel bars. Carter darted across his cage and his arms shot through the bars, forcing Whitley to scramble back out of his reach. Carter jerked back and howled when the skin on his arms began to sizzle from the electric current running through the bars. That didn’t stop him from trying it again, though. “Jude, I need you to distract him.” The control box being connected to the actual cell was the worst design Whitley had ever seen, but he guessed things had changed since his father took over. God, the man was an idiot. “Carter,” Jude said loudly, his deep voice booming throughout the room. “That’s right. Come here, buddy. Yeah, it’s Jude. You remember me, right?” Whitley highly doubted that Carter even remembered his own name, but at least he’d moved away and was slowly stalking toward Jude who stood on the other side of the cage. Working as fast as his shaking body would allow him, Whitley leaned back on his butt and kicked at the lock connected to the box, breaking it so easily he had to roll his eyes. Once he had the control panel exposed, he sat up and closed his eyes, trying to think of what code his father would have used. Every cell was equipped with a code to deactivate the high voltage that coursed through the metal bars. The extreme power surge was what short-circuited a paranormal’s powers and left them virtually defenseless inside their prison, but it also posed a danger to the guards. Two separate override codes were programmed into each cell in case a guard, or worse, the code keeper, found themselves on the wrong side of the bars. Whitley didn’t have a clue what passcode Jude’s father would use, so that left him with his own father. His dad wasn’t an extremely intelligent man, nor was his thought process particularly complicated, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

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Damn, he felt like his insides were boiling. Perspiration dripped into his eyes, making them sting and blurring his vision. If they got out of this alive, he was going to kill Jude. He tried the obvious numbers first—his father’s birthday, his mother’s birthday, their anniversary, his parent’s bank account numbers. None of them worked. He even went as far as to try his own birthday, but he’d had little hope for that one, so he wasn’t too let down when it didn’t work, either. “It’s been ten minutes, Whit.” Jude sounded tense, and Whitley couldn’t blame him. He’d had no idea so much time had passed already. They still had at least forty minutes before Mr. Chambers returned from his dinner, but once he got the door open to the cell, they still had to wrangle Carter down to the pickup without him chomping their heads off. At the rate he was going, it would be cutting it damn close. Think, damn it! Jude’s cell phone chirped, and Whitley almost jumped out of his skin. He didn’t know what the text message said, but he assumed it was nothing good. Sure enough, Jude groaned as he stared down at the display screen. “I guess the meeting didn’t go as planned. Arman is going to try and stall, but we’ve got about twenty minutes tops.” Crap! Crap! Crap! Whitley tamped down his panic and tried to make his brain work. Over and over he punched different numbers into the keypad, but the little light still blinked green, taunting him. “Do you know what code your dad might have used?” he finally asked. “No clue,” Jude answered distractedly. “Twelve minutes, Whit.” Well, it was a good thing his mate was so fucking helpful then. An idea occurred to him, but it was so simple, he doubted it would work. With nothing left to lose, he shrugged once and tapped in the original override code he’d programmed upon completing his first design—his name spelled out numerically.

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The little light flashed green twice more before turning red, and an electronic buzzer sounded. Whitley almost fell over in relief. “It’s down,” he informed his cohort in crime. “Good job, Whit.” Jude rushed over to the cell door and tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge. “Oh, right.” Whitley smacked himself in the forehead, returning to the control pad and punching in the code to unlock the door. That one hadn’t changed, either. He’d marvel at his father’s stupidity later. For the time being, he was just too relieved to care. Jude jerked the cage door open, and took a step back, holding his hands up in surrender toward Carter. “We’re not going to hurt you. I know you’re in there somewhere, Carter. I need you to come with us.” Carter had stopped growling at them, but he didn’t look any less hostile. Jude took a tentative step toward the cell, and Whitley had to question if his mate was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. He’d reserve judgment until he saw how the next few minutes played out. Though he was scared out of his mind that he’d end up orca bait, the mating heat hadn’t lessened any with his fear. His stomach was beginning to cramp, and his cock was hard and throbbing inside his jeans. If he didn’t get relief soon, he was afraid there’d be permanent damage. Glancing down at his watch, his heart kicked hard against his ribs, and his stomach clenched again. “Seven minutes, Jude.” They were cutting it too damn close. Jude said they had twenty minutes at the most. It was feasible that their time was already up. “Fuck it,” Jude growled before charging into the cell, lifting Carter over his shoulder, and storming back out. “Let’s go. Straight out the front door and into my pickup. Don’t stop for anyone. Got it?” Whitley didn’t need to be told twice. Carter was yelling and snarling, beating against Jude’s back and flailing his legs. He wasn’t nearly as big as Jude, or even Whitley for that matter, but he was damn scary in his rage.

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Turning on his heels, Whitley snatched up both their bags and beat a quick path down the hallway. Taking the stairs two at a time, he barreled through the open front door, nodding his thanks to the young man standing there. Throwing their backpacks into the bed of the truck, he wrenched open the passenger door and danced from foot to foot as he waited for Jude. He only had to wait a heartbeat before Jude was jogging down the front steps and right up to him. After practically throwing Carter into the backseat, he ushered Whitley inside as well and sprinted around to take his place behind the wheel. Whitley turned in his seat, pressing his back into the dashboard and trying to keep as far away from Carter as possible. The kid wasn’t yelling anymore. Hell, he wasn’t even moving, but his eyes followed Whitley as though he’d pounce at any moment. Jude slammed the transmission into drive, stomped on the accelerator, and sent them careening around the circular drive. “Fuck!” he spat when they passed the same black SUV that had picked them up at the airport. No doubt it was Arman delivering Mr. Chambers home from his meeting. “Go!” Whitley shouted, digging his fingers into his thighs and squeezing his eyes shut. Shit like this did not happen to him. He led a very normal, boring, and maybe even slightly depressing existence. Jude pressed harder on the gas, rocketing them through the open gates and out onto the main road. No one spoke for a long time as the pickup raced over the asphalt with Jude taking turns at dangerous speeds. “Where are we going?” Whitley asked when he realized they were still headed west. “The ocean,” Jude answered tightly. “He needs to shift.” Whitley didn’t see how that was going to help, but then again, he didn’t understand any of this. So he kept his mouth closed and his eyes on Carter. Well, if he was going to die, at least he’d have one exciting story to tell in the afterlife.

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**** By the time he reached his destination, Carter was snarling again and throwing himself around the backseat. He hadn’t tried to hurt them, though, so Jude had to believe that there was still hope. Stopping as close to the beach as he could, he jumped out of the truck and pulled the back door open. “Go, Carter.” His brother didn’t hesitate as he launched himself out of the backseat and sprinted toward the water, stripping his clothes off as he went. Jude watched him until Carter was waist deep with the waves crashing around him, praying that this would work. He had to believe it would, because he had no other options. When Carter took off swimming, Jude crossed his fingers and held his breath. The kid swam as though his life depended on it, and then he disappeared beneath the surface. Panic settled in Jude’s gut, and he almost went in after his brother. He’d taken two steps away from the pickup when Carter burst up from the water, completely transformed into his orca counterpart. Jude’s legs began to shake and a wobbly smile stretched over his lips as he swallowed down the lump in his throat. They’d done it. He warned himself not to get too excited. There was a chance that Carter either wouldn’t be able to shift back to human, or he would and still be just as untamed. But for the first time in months, he had hope. “Thank you,” he whispered to Whitley without turning around. “Is he going to be okay?” Jude turned to find his mate kneeling in the driver’s seat. “I don’t know for sure, but I hope so. He didn’t try to attack us, and I swear I saw recognition in his eyes while I was trying to distract him. The fact that he was able to shift right now is a good sign. I think we got him out before there could be any permanent damage. Whatever happens, I can’t thank you enough for helping him.”

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“We have to tell someone. You know that, right? We can’t just let your dad get away with this.” “I know, and I promise that he won’t. Let’s just take this one step at a time.” Whitley frowned, but bobbed his head. “Can that next step involve your cock in my ass?” His entire frame vibrated, and his face was flushed a deep crimson. “It hurts, Jude.” So many things had happened that Jude had been able to push away his own discomfort. Now that Carter was free and they were safe for the moment, the effects of the mating heat slammed into him at full force. His heart thundered inside his chest, his breathing sped, and his cock throbbed painfully, straining against his zipper. It wasn’t exactly an ideal location, but what choice did he have? He couldn’t leave his brother, and now that he’d acknowledged the need, he didn’t know how much longer he could wait to bury himself inside Whitley’s tight body. Pushing Carter to the back of his mind, Jude focused all of his attention on his mate. He hadn’t done right by Whitley, and he knew it. From that moment forward, he vowed to do everything in his power to reverse that, though. Reaching into the bed of the truck, he pulled his bag out and rummaged through the side pocket until he found the travel-size bottle of lube he’d stashed there. Even in his hurry to get to his brother, he’d had enough clarity to realize they’d need it. Score one for him. Whitley was already stripping out of his clothes by the time he turned back, and the sight of his lean, firm body pulled a possessive growl from Jude’s lips. There were a few stragglers hanging around the beach, but with the sun setting over the horizon and temperatures dropping, most had given up and gone home. Privacy wasn’t an issue for him, but he wasn’t sure how Whitley felt about it. Since the man was naked except for his socks, Jude had to figure he didn’t much give a damn. “I can’t go slow,” he warned as he popped the button on his pants and slid the zipper down. Reaching

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inside his boxers and extracting his pulsing erection, he groaned and his eyes almost rolled back in his head. “Definitely hard and fast.” “I’m fine with that,” Whitley panted, spinning around on the seat so that he was positioned on all fours, and pushed his ass back so that it hung over the edge of the seat. His knees inched farther apart, and he lowered until his chest pressed flat against the seat, opening himself up to Jude’s gaze. The first sight of his mate’s pink, quivering star made Jude’s mouth water and his body shudder violently. His chest rumbled somewhere between a growl and a purr as he flipped open the bottle of lube and drizzled the slippery liquid down Whitley’s crease. His fingers followed swiftly, rubbing the lube around Whitley’s eager hole and nudging against the guarding muscles. “No time for teasing,” Whitley warned with a note of desperation in his voice as he rocked back on his knees, trying to capture Jude’s digits. “Then hang on tight.” Jude barely got the words out of his mouth before pushing two slick fingers into Whitley’s twitching hole and pumping. His lover’s inner walls clenched at the invasion, and a strangled groan erupted into the cab of the vehicle. Twisting his wrist and scissoring his fingers, Jude sawed in and out of Whitley’s heated channel until he could insert a third. “Damn it, Jude! Just fuck me already.” Without a word, Jude climbed up on the running board, spread his legs wide for balance, and removed his fingers from Whitley’s greedy hole. With one hand on his lover’s hip, he used the other to grip the base of his cock and line up the crown. Once in position, he gritted his teeth and surged forward, encasing himself in his mate’s silky heat until his balls tapped against Whitley’s firm cheeks. He didn’t pause to give his mate time to adjust. He couldn’t. The intense pressure surrounding his cock compelled him to move, and he

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was helpless to resist. His fingers dug into Whitley’s hips hard enough to leave bruises as he drove into him at a demanding pace. His hips snapped forward with such power, he had to move one hand to Whitley’s shoulder to hold him in place and keep him from moving across the seat. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he worried that he was being too rough with the smaller man, but it was a tiny voice and easily silenced as he continued pounding into him. Thankfully, Whitley gave no indication that he wasn’t enjoying himself. His loud moans filled Jude’s ears, spurring him on and driving him wild. The flames of lust engulfed him, erasing everything from his mind but the snug hold on Whitley’s ass around his throbbing cock. Three more lightning-quick strokes, and Jude tensed as he threw his head back and roared, filling Whitley’s depths with endless reams of cum. He didn’t even have time to savor his orgasm before his lover fell forward, and Jude’s sated dick slipped from his hole with a squelch. Whitley rolled over to his back, palmed his engorged length and began to stroke furiously as he stared into Jude’s eyes pleadingly. The postorgasmic bliss vanished instantly, and Jude felt like a selfish prick. He’d never failed to satisfy a lover, and this was his mate. Needing to rectify the situation, he dove forward and captured the swollen head of Whitley’s cock in his mouth, swirling his tongue around the crown and sucking hard. Pushing Whitley’s legs wider, Jude inserted two fingers into his lover’s hole and pumped fast, burying his fingers deeper as he searched for the little, walnut-size gland. Batting Whitley’s hand away, Jude bobbed his head, slicking the hard shaft in his mouth until it slid easily through his lips. Then he took the entire length to the back of his throat and swallowed at the same time he brushed his fingers over Whitley’s prostate. Whitley’s back bowed up off the seat, and a loud cry erupted from his lips as his body went stiff and salty semen burst over Jude’s

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tongue. When he’d drained every drop, Jude licked his lover clean and crawled up his body so that they were eye to eye. “Better?” “Thank you,” Whitley breathed, a contented smile on his face. “I thought you were going to leave me hanging there for a minute.” “Not going to happen,” Jude promised with a quick peck to his lover’s lips. He started to take the kiss deeper, but a loud wolf whistle followed by shouts of, “Nice ass!” reached his ears. He glanced down at Whitley to gauge his reaction, and all it took was one look for them to both crack up in laughter. “Okay,” Whitley said when they’d calmed a little. His arms went around Jude’s neck, and his legs wound around his waist. “I guess I kind of like you.” The words only made Jude feel guiltier, but he hid it well and smiled. “I guess I like you, too.”

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Chapter Nine “I have to go with him.” Whitley settled into the sand near the shore and crossed his legs under him. “I know.” “You should probably find somewhere to hide. Me and the kid will be safe enough out in the water, but you’re too exposed here.” “I’ll be fine, Jude.” Whitley wasn’t looking forward to spending so much time alone, but he understood why Jude needed to keep an eye on his brother. “We’ll find a place to meet up every day at the same time, because that shit sucked.” “The mating heat? Yeah, it did.” Jude sighed and plopped down in the sand beside him. “Whit, I don’t want it to be like this. I’m not trying to treat you like a prostitute or a booty call, but I don’t know what else to do.” Taking his lover’s hand in his own, Whitley laced their fingers together and squeezed as he stared out over the horizon. “I know. I can’t go with you, and Carter can’t be alone. It is what it is until we know if he’s going to be okay or not. We still need to talk, but right now, I understand.” Maybe it was his lot in life to be the understanding one. There were worse things he could be, so it didn’t bother him too much. Was it the way he’d imagined his mating to go? Not in the least, but their situation wasn’t going to allow for a honeymoon phase. “I’m going to make this up to you.” It wasn’t the first time Jude had said that to him, but Whitley still didn’t know what the shifter felt he had to atone for. They were in a fucked-up predicament, but it wasn’t of Jude’s making. Whitley liked

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to think that his mate would have helped him without reservation if their positions were reversed. “Just make sure Carter’s okay. I’m going to take the truck and see if I can find a motel close by. I’ll meet you right here at the same time tomorrow.” Jude leaned over and brushed his lips across Whitley’s cheek. “Please, be careful. I…I feel kind of responsible for you being here.” Whitley snorted and rolled his eyes. “You think?” “Okay, it’s completely my fault that you’re here,” Jude conceded. “That doesn’t mean that I don’t want you to be safe, though. There’s some cash under the seat. Use that if you need money. Don’t talk to anyone and stay alert.” He ticked off a few more instructions before kissing Whitley’s lips and pushing to his feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Part of him resented being treated like a child, while the rest of him warmed that Jude actually cared enough to worry about him. Up until that point, he’d had his doubts. “Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jude pulled his shirt over his head and let it fall to the ground. “Hey, Whit.” “Yeah?” “If you see something suspicious, or if someone comes after you, I want you to run, okay? Don’t look back. Don’t worry about me. Just run.” He backed away as he spoke, and when he’d delivered the last order, he turned around and jogged toward the water’s edge without waiting for a reply. Whitley sat there for a long time after the sun had set and his mate had disappeared into the Pacific with his brother. Eventually, he climbed to his feet, dusted the sand off his backside, and made his way to Jude’s pickup. He didn’t know where he’d go, but he couldn’t sit around all night and wait for his lover’s return. He’d already spent too much time in one place. If what Jude said was true, his father wasn’t going to back down without a fight. Reginald Chambers didn’t want Carter, but he couldn’t let his secret

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out. What powerful woman would he be able to manipulate then? Not to mention it would tarnish Isa Gamble’s reputation, which had an indirect link to her own father’s prestige in the paranormal community. There was also the little fact that Whitley’s father was most likely involved. He didn’t know how else that cell had come to find its way into the Chambers’ home. It didn’t really shock him. He’d known his father was crooked for years. Something niggled at his subconscious about the information, though. He just couldn’t put his finger on why it bothered him. With Jude’s warning still weighing heavily on him, he pulled out of the parking lot and set out to find a place to sleep for the night. **** “I’m sorry, Jude.” “Don’t sweat it, kid.” Jude didn’t know how long they’d been swimming, but he could see the sun shining down on the surface of the water. It hadn’t taken him long to search out and catch up to his brother. Since finding him, Jude had kept up a constant string of onesided conversations through their telepathic bond. If he’d been talking aloud, he’d have made himself hoarse. Throughout the entire monologue, Carter had never responded, though. Now that he was talking, Jude didn’t really know what to say. The relief that coursed through him was making it hard to breathe. If Carter was finally responding, then hopefully that meant he was going to be fine. “I’m feeling better, but I don’t want to shift back. Everything that happened is still kind of fuzzy. Did I hurt anyone?” “No, you didn’t hurt anyone. And you don’t have to shift back until you’re ready. Take all the time you need.” “Will you stay with me?”

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Jude wanted to say yes, but he knew he would have to meet Whitley soon. He wouldn’t be much use to Carter if he went feral himself. It had taken months for the kid to reach the condition they’d found him in, but Jude could only guess that his mating bond and the little potion the elders had cooked up would accelerate the process. “I have to meet someone for a little while, but I’ll come right back.” “Who do you have to meet?” Carter ducked beneath Jude and swam around him in a circle before drifting along beside him again. “Someone I know. We can trust him.” Whitley wouldn’t betray them. The man was entirely too honorable for that. Jude only wished he could say the same about himself. Not that he’d ever sell Whitley out or use him as a scapegoat, but all the lies he’d told since meeting the man were beginning to fuck with his head. It wasn’t supposed to be that way. He wasn’t supposed to feel guilty about using the man. It was all Whitley’s fault, too. Why couldn’t he have been the arrogant, pompous jackass Jude had envisioned when he’d cooked up this whole scheme? “I trust you, so I guess I trust this guy, too. I’ll stick close by until you’re back, but I don’t want to shift again.” There was a long pause before he pushed his thoughts into Jude’s head again. “I’m not sure that I can shift back.” “Let’s just take it a day at time. We’ll figure this out, okay?” That would be the true test. They’d already established that Carter was still in there mentally. Now, they’d just have to continue to wait and see if Carter would be able to shift back to his human skin. “Yeah, you’re right.” Carter’s thoughts were happy again as he sped off ahead of Jude and shot straight up toward the surface. Jude waited as long as he dared before corralling his brother and convincing him to head back to where he was supposed to meet Whitley. As they neared their destination, Carter shot past him, making a beeline for the surface once again.

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He didn’t think much of it until he spotted the shadow floating above them and the webbed feet that kicked lazily at the water. “Carter, no!” Turning on a burst of speed, Jude caught up to his brother within seconds, barrel rolling him away from the swimming swan. Before Carter could react, Jude flipped around and darted toward his mate. He caught Whitley in his mouth, holding him delicately between his teeth, and swam them both to the shore, right up on the sand. Once he released his lover, he closed his eyes and shifted quickly. “Are you insane?” he shouted down at the smaller man once Whitley had shifted back as well. “What the hell, Whit?” “You tried to fucking eat me!” Whitley shot back with accusation. “Seriously?” “I wasn’t trying to eat you. I was saving your goddamn life!” They must have made quite the scene, two men standing butt naked in the sand and screaming at each other. Jude didn’t give a rat’s ass. “I didn’t think swans were exactly compatible with salt water.” “You’re not the only one who needs to shift occasionally. I didn’t really have many options.” Whitley was scratching at his belly as he spoke, and Jude wanted to roll his eyes. “Just be more careful. I wasn’t going to eat you, but Carter sure as hell was.” Whitley’s eyes rounded and his mouth fell open in a comical little O. “Oops.” Jude sighed and shook his head. “Come here.” He sighed again when Whitley moved into his arms without hesitation. “You’re supposed to be taking care of yourself. Don’t scare me like that again.” Whitley leaned away and looked up at him, a mischievous glint shining in his eyes. “I brought you clothes, but I’m hoping you won’t need them right away.”

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“It might be best until we get back to your motel room.” Jude chuckled when Whitley stuck his bottom lip out and pouted. “I just don’t want anyone seeing that gorgeous little ass of yours. No more public sex.” Whitley shrugged and gave him a beaming smile. “Then let’s get going. Is Carter going to be okay until you get back?” Jude adored his mate for thinking of his brother. “He’s going to stick close until I get back. He’s doing better, and I think he’ll be okay for an hour or two.” “Two hours?” Whitley looked like Christmas had come early. “I only expected half an hour at most.” Of course he had. Jude hadn’t given him any reason to expect more than that. It was high time he started treating his mate like the man deserved, though. “I’ll drive.” **** That was their routine for the next six days. Jude would spend the majority of his time swimming the ocean with Carter, but he was extending his stay with Whitley a little longer each night. Whitley didn’t know what had changed, but he was happy that it had. While he’d understood that Carter’s well-being was important, he could admit that he’d been a little jealous. Now that Jude was actually treating him like a real mate instead of just a sex toy, the time they spent apart was a little easier to cope with. He missed the man when he wasn’t around, but he never complained, wanting to make the most of the time they did have together. As he sat on the tailgate of the pickup and waited for Jude on the seventh night, Whitley wondered why no one had come looking for them yet. They were barely an hour away from Jude’s house, and he assumed the ocean would be the first place people would come looking for them.

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Jude had said something about hiding in plain sight, and maybe he was right. Something still didn’t feel right, though. He’d caught his mate on the phone the night before when he’d come out of the shower. Jude took one look at him, gave a hurried good-bye, and proceeded to act as though nothing had happened. Neither of Whitley’s parents had tried to contact him. He’d left without any explanation, taking the family jet, and disappeared for over a week. While Benny had returned the plane long ago, Whitley still found it odd that his parents weren’t blowing up his phone and demanding to know where he was—especially if his dad was working with Jude’s father. Several times he’d picked up Jude’s phone, debating on going through his recent call list. Things were going so well between them, though. He didn’t want to betray Jude’s trust like that. Surely if something was wrong, his mate would tell him. He’d learned a lot about Jude over the week. They’d talked and talked until Whitley had run out of things to say. Then they’d make love, maybe eat something, and talk some more. He doubted everything he’d ever said in his whole life would total up to the number of words he’d spoken in over the past several days. Though the more he learned about Jude had him falling just a little harder for the man, Whitley still couldn’t shake the feeling that his mate was hiding something from him. Staring down at the cell phone in his hand, he sighed as he turned it on for what felt like the millionth time. Jude would be there any minute, but Whitley had to know. The only answer he’d received when he’d asked Jude about the phone call was that it had been a wrong number. It was such an obvious lie, and not a very clever one at that. “Screw it,” he mumbled under his breath as he opened up the call list and scanned the incoming calls. There were only three from the last week, and they were all from the same number. There wasn’t a

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name associated with it, and Whitley couldn’t find the number in Jude’s contact list. Taking a deep breath to steel his courage, Whitley highlighted the mysterious number and pressed talk. Holding the phone to his ear with a shaking hand, he scanned the shoreline for any sign of Jude. “Jude?” a feminine voice answered on the fourth ring. “I told you that I wouldn’t have any information for you until next week. You can’t call me like this.” Whitley’s breath caught in his throat, and he started shaking his head mutely. He knew that voice. He could picture the face it was connected to as clear as if she was sitting right next to him. “Jude?” she asked, concern in her tone. “Did something happen?” As she spoke, Jude emerged from the water, grabbed his clothes that Whitley had left for him, and dressed quickly. Then he jogged across the sand, a beaming smile on his face that Whitley could see even in the waning light. Jude slowed when he got closer to the pickup, and the smile slid off his face when he got a good look at Whitley’s expression. “Whit? Who’s on the phone?” He approached cautiously as though he feared Whitley would bolt if he made a sudden movement. He wasn’t far from the truth. Whitley’s heart was breaking, and he felt like the world’s biggest idiot. How could he have ever trusted Jude Chambers? How could he have allowed himself to get so attached to such a lying, manipulating asshole? “Jude?” the woman on the other end of the line asked again. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.” “Melody?” There was a long, pregnant pause, interrupted only by Jude’s heavy sigh. Whitley slid off the tailgate and began backing away from his mate. “Whitley?” Melody asked in shock. “Whitley, is that you? Where’s Jude? Did something happen?”

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Something had happened all right. In that moment, something changed inside of Whitley, and he lost something he didn’t think he’d ever get back. He couldn’t put an exact name on what that was, but it made his chest constrict and his heart pound painfully. Whitley tossed the phone to Jude and took another step back. “It’s for you.” Then he turned, grabbed his backpack from the bed of the truck, and walked away.

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Chapter Ten “Jude?” “Yeah, Melody, I’m here.” “Was that Whitley Turner?” Jude watched as Whitley disappeared into the darkness and then closed his eyes. “Yeah, that was him.” “You didn’t tell him, did you?” she accused. “There just wasn’t a good time,” Jude said, trying to defend himself and knowing he was doing a lousy job of it. “You said you were falling for him.” “I was. I mean, I am. I just…fuck!” Jude spun around and began pacing as he shoved a hand through his wet hair. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.” “You need to tell him, explain it to him,” Melody replied gently. “He seemed like a good guy when I met him. He’ll understand if you just give him a chance.” Jude hoped she was right, but after seeing the look on Whitley’s face before he’d walked away, he highly doubted it. “Right. Just call me if you find out anything.” He waited for her agreement before hanging up and pocketing his phone. “Whitley!” he yelled as he ran across the parking lot in the direction his lover had disappeared. “I’m sorry. Please, just let me explain.” “Explain what?” a soft reply came from somewhere to his left. “Explain how you lied to me? How you tricked me into helping you? Or maybe you want to explain how you used me.” Whitley stepped out from beneath one of the pavilions and crossed his arms over his

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chest. “Why are you still here, Jude? You got what you wanted. There’s no reason to pretend you give a damn about me anymore.” “Whit…” Jude trailed off, unsure of what to say. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to sell you out to the elders, if that’s what you’re worried about.” The thought had never crossed his mind. Unlike him, Whitley was far too noble for something so underhanded. “Let me explain. That’s all I’m asking. After that, if you still want to leave, I won’t stop you.” “If I was going to leave, I would already be gone,” Whitley countered with a slight growl to his tone. “I’m not stupid, Jude, and I know you’re not, either. I’m stuck with you. What did you think? I was just going to run back home to mommy and daddy and sit in my room until I went feral?” Jude didn’t know which was worse, having Whitley hating him from across the country, or seeing the man every day and knowing how much Whitley despised him. When he didn’t respond right away, his mate shook his head and began walking back toward the pickup. Following along behind him, Jude rehearsed what he wanted to say inside his head. The more he repeated the words to himself, the less convincing they sounded. There was literally nothing he could say that could make this situation any better. On the other hand, there was also little he could say to make it worse. When they reached his truck, Whitley tossed his bag back into the bed and hopped up on the tailgate. “Talk,” he demanded. Jude remained standing, keeping a respectful distance. His fingers itched to reach out for his lover, but he knew his touch wouldn’t be welcomed. “Melody is Elder Gamble’s daughter and Isa’s sister.” “I thought her last name was Eck?” “It is. Her mother and father were never married or even mated. Eck is her mother’s last name.” “So, you knew about what the elders had planned before you even arrived in Scotland.”

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“It’s the reason I went,” Jude admitted. “I tried everything I knew to get Carter out of that cage, but the longer he went without shifting, the more…unstable he became. I spent every free moment I had with him, trying to give him some kind of hold on reality, but I had to work. The worse he became, the more desperate I got. He’s just a kid.” “So, you needed a Turner,” Whitley deduced. “You needed someone who knew how to shut down the cell.” “Yes.” Jude closed his eyes and hung his head. “Why didn’t you just ask me? I would have helped you, even if we weren’t mated.” “I know that now.” He’d screwed up in so many ways, he didn’t even know where to begin. “I met Seymour when he came to discuss the plans for the holding cell with my father.” “And you just assumed that any son of an egotistical sack of shit like that was bound to be the same.” “Well, your brother seems like a standup guy,” Jude countered with sarcasm. “Point taken,” Whitley conceded. “I guess the apple usually doesn’t fall far from the tree. Keep going.” “When Melody told me about the forced mating the elders had planned, I knew it was a long shot, but she assured me that you were of mating age and unattached. You’d be there. She’d heard rumors that you were the one who originally designed the cells, and we both agreed you were the only one who could help us.” “What interest does Melody have in helping Carter?” Jude glanced up at Whitley and grinned. “She’s a good person, Whit. After what she did at the gathering, I know you probably don’t think so, but she’s been on my ass all week to tell you the truth.” “Okay, fair enough.” Whitley chewed on his bottom lip and motioned for Jude to continue. “You look just like your dad, so you weren’t hard to pick out. Once we knew who you were, it was just a matter of being in the right

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place at the right time. Because of his connections with UPAC, Dad knew about the spiked drinks as well. Since Isa had left him, he figured the next best thing was for me to be mated to Melody.” “You staged the whole thing.” Whitley nodded absently. “My meeting her, the argument with your dad, you set it all up.” “Melody lives with her mother in South America. Not many of the elders even know that Gamble has another daughter. When we figured out about the mating book, it was a piece of cake for her to lie about her name. It helped that your name is kind of feminine, so the elders didn’t even question it.” “I’m sure my mother would love to hear that,” Whitley said with a dark chuckle. “After we were mated, what did you plan to do then? Win my trust? Ease me into the idea of helping you?” Jude pinched the bridge of his nose as guilt overwhelmed him. “I actually intended to force you to help me. If we were mated, I’d have some power over you, and I would use it if I had to.” “It was so much easier to just lie and manipulate me, though. You must have been pretty pleased about that.” “No.” Jude shook his head firmly. “Ten minutes after I met you, I knew you were nothing like your father. I knew I wouldn’t have to force you, but I didn’t want to lie to you, either. I’d known you for less than a day when Cara called, though. It was my brother’s life on the line, and I couldn’t know for sure if I could trust you.” “Would you have ever told me if I hadn’t called Melody?” “I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you all week!” Jude stepped close to his mate, relieved when Whitley didn’t flinch away from him. “I tried to keep my distance. I didn’t want to get attached to you because it would make what I was doing so much harder.” He moved a little closer. “You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met, Whit. You are so selfless, so giving. You always see the good in people, even when they don’t deserve it.” “I’m not sure I’m that person anymore,” Whitley whispered. “I’m really beginning to wonder if there is any good in people. Everyone

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I’ve ever met has used me in some way. I really thought you’d be different.” “Give me another chance,” Jude pleaded. “I will be anything you want me to be. I know I fucked up, but I can fix this. Let me prove to you that I’m not the person you think I am.” In one short week, Whitley had wiggled his way into Jude’s heart and changed the rules of the game. Hell, it wasn’t even a game anymore. If there was such a thing as perfection, Whitley Turner was as close as Jude had ever seen it, and he couldn’t give him up. Whitley’s hand landed on his chest, and Jude froze, unaware that he’d moved so close to the man. “I can’t think when you’re that close.” Jude didn’t want him to think, though. If Whitley thought too hard about it, he’d realize Jude wasn’t worth a second chance. “I think about you all the time,” he confessed. “I miss you when you’re not with me.” Taking one more step, he insinuated himself between Whitley’s thighs and leaned close as he reached up to place his hand over Whitley’s where it still rested on his chest. “The thought of never seeing you again makes my chest hurt.” Very slowly he bent his head, giving Whitley plenty of time to pull away before he pressed their lips together in a tender kiss. “Don’t leave, Whit, and don’t stay because you have to. If you really want to go, I’ll find a way to break the bond, but I need you to stay.” He covered Whitley’s mouth with his own before the man could deny him. When he pulled away, he was happy to see the desire burning in Whitley’s eyes. Maybe if he kept his mate distracted long enough, he’d forget why he wanted to leave in the first place. Jude dipped his head again, but Whitley’s hand on his chest stopped him with a hard push. He stepped back from the tailgate, watching Whitley slide off of it and onto his feet. “You can really break the bond?”

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Jude nodded mutely, not liking where the conversation was headed. “There has to be a way. The elder that recorded our mating said that it can be broken if they find that one or more parties were being abused.” “That’s not what you want, though, is it?” “No,” Jude answered honestly. He’d never lie to his mate again. “I want to make this work. I know it’s going to take time for you to trust me again, but I’m willing to work for it.” Maybe he didn’t deserve it, but that didn’t stop him from wanting it. Whitley was quiet for a long time as he rested his hands on his hips and stared down at the ground. When he finally lifted his head, Jude knew what he would say before he opened his mouth, and it made his stomach clench painfully. “Whit, don’t say it. I can see it in your eyes, and I’m begging you, okay? I’m sorry that I fucked everything up and was such a shitty mate to you. That’s over with, though.” “Everything you ever told me was a lie. Why should I believe you now?” Jude didn’t have a good answer for that. There was absolutely no reason for Whitley to trust him. “Because I need you to believe it.” He reached out, but Whitley dodged his advance and shook his head. “I’m sorry for what happened to your brother. I also understand that everything you did was to help him. But you used me, Jude. Everything that you just said you liked about me, you exploited it for your own gain.” “I can’t tell you how much I regret that. I can’t change it, but I can make it up to you.” Whitley shook his head again and backed away. “No you can’t. Don’t follow me this time.” “What am I supposed to do? Just tell me what to do.” His mate glanced over his shoulder and gave Jude a sad look. “Break the bond because I never want to see you again.”

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Chapter Eleven “You’re just going to let him go?” Jude didn’t even turn around as he answered Carter’s question. “You heard what he said. He hates me.” “That’s not what he said at all. He’s hurt. I only heard part of the conversation, but I’d say he has a damn good reason for it, too.” “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better,” Jude said, changing the subject. If his world wasn’t crumbling around him, he’d have offered his brother a lot more enthusiasm. The kid had finally emerged into the land of the living once more. It was cause for celebration, but Jude didn’t much feel like celebrating. “Yeah, I’ve been feeling it coming for a couple of days now. Then I heard you arguing from the water, and I was afraid there might be trouble. I didn’t even think about it. After all you’ve done for me, I couldn’t let anyone hurt you. The next thing I knew, I was on my hands and knees in the sand, panting for breath after I shifted.” Was everyone out to make Jude feel like the world’s biggest piece of shit? He’d helped Carter because they were family and he was just a kid. He didn’t see that he’d done anything to warrant that kind of loyalty, though. “Are your memories coming back?” “Stop it,” Carter growled. “I appreciate what you did for me, but this is about you and that guy I am assuming is your mate. You fucked up.” Jude spun around with a growl of his own. “You think I don’t know that? You think I wouldn’t give anything to take it back?” “Then why are you just standing there?” Carter challenged. “Go get him!”

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“He doesn’t want me, and I don’t fucking blame him. He deserves a hell of lot better than me. Whitley is everything I wish I was, and all the things I can never be.” “Do you love him?” “I’ve known him for eight days.” Jude eyed his brother and rolled his eyes before reaching into the pickup for his bag and pulling out a change of clothes. “Put these on,” he ordered, tossing them toward Carter. “I didn’t ask you how long you’ve known him.” Carter tugged on the jeans and huffed when they fell right off his hips. Pulling them up again, he held them in place and looked into Jude’s eyes. “Do you love him?” “I don’t know. Maybe? How do you know something like that after only a few days?” “I’m eighteen, Jude, not eight. I might not know much about relationships, but love doesn’t sound like something you have to guess about. Either you feel or you don’t.” The kid was far too intuitive for Jude’s liking. He’d told the truth, though. His emotions were all over the map. While he had strong feelings for Whitley, he didn’t know if he’d call them love. When Whitley had walked away from him, it was probably the most painful thing he’d ever endured. That didn’t necessarily mean he loved the man, though. The sting of rejection was bound to hurt. Then there was the mating bond. He’d yet to figure out what all that entailed, but there was a chance that his emotional tie to Whitley had everything to do with their mating. If that was the case, how did he know what was real and what was fabricated? And could he even trust his feelings? “You are seriously overthinking this,” Carter said with obvious exasperation. “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him. He’s fucking hot.” A possessive growl rumbled in Jude’s chest and up through his lips before he could cut it off. “He’s mine!”

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Carter just smirked at him. “That’s what I thought. Now, are you going to go get him or not?” Jude didn’t even have time to answer in the affirmative before he heard footsteps pounding across the pavement and coming toward him fast. “Jude!” Whitley screamed. “Run! They’re coming!” Headlights flared at the other end of the parking lot, and panic lodged itself in Jude’s chest. Whitley had risked everything to come back and warn them. Now he would pay for it, and there wasn’t a damn thing Jude could do to stop it. Darting around his truck, he sprinted toward his mate, but he knew he wouldn’t make it. Before he’d even traveled half the distance between them, a dark luxury sedan screeched to a stop between him and Whitley. The back door flew open, Whitley was jerked inside, and the tires squealed against the asphalt as the vehicle sped away. “Fuck!” Jude shouted, fisting both hands in his hair. Hurrying back to his pickup, he was damn glad to find Carter already in the passenger seat glaring after the car that had taken his mate. “Was that Reginald?” “My guess would be yes.” Jude peeled out of the parking space and floored the accelerator as he took off in pursuit. “Keep your eyes on them.” His cell phone began to ring, vibrating against his thigh inside his pocket. He dug it out with one hand, growled at the display screen, and connected the call. “I swear if you fucking hurt him…” Jude trailed off, leaving the threat open ended. “You’ll do what exactly?” his father taunted him. “Why couldn’t you just do as you were told? None of this had to happen, Jude.” “What do you want?” He’d give anything to get Whitley back unharmed. “I want the boy. Melody already mucked up the mating I had planned for you.” Reginald growled at this, but didn’t say anything further on the subject.

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Of course his father would demand the one thing that Jude wasn’t willing to negotiate. “How did you find us?” Reginald laughed harshly. “I’ve been watching you for days. I had to make sure you still had that bastard son of mine with you, though. Now, we can do this the easy way, and you can give me what I want. Or…” “Or?” Jude prodded, knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer. “Or your mate can have a little accident. If he dies, you die, right? Then there’s nothing standing between me and the kid. I don’t want to do that, Jude, but I will if you force me.” Whitley’s loud, pain-filled scream pierced Jude’s eardrum, and he almost swerved off the road. “Don’t hurt him!” “It’s your choice, son.” There was a moment of silence before Whitley screamed again. “What’s it going to be?” Whitley’s next scream ended on choking gurgle, and Jude couldn’t take any more. “Fine,” he agreed. “Whatever you want, just stop hurting him.” “I knew you’d see things my way.” “Jude, he’s lying!” Whitley yelled over the line. “You know he’s lying. Don’t do i—” His words were cut off and replaced by another gut-wrenching scream. “I’ll meet you at home,” Reginald said calmly. “You have one hour.” Then the line went dead. It took all of Jude’s self-control not to launch his phone across the cab, or worse, out the window. “I’m taking you somewhere safe, and then I’m going to get my mate.” “I’m coming with you,” Carter argued. “Whitley wouldn’t be in this mess at all if it wasn’t for me. I want to help get him back.” “Whitley is in this because of me. I’m not taking you back there.” “Cut the bullshit, Jude. I can help, and you’re going to need all of it you can get. Now shut the fuck up and drive faster.” Jude was too worried about the task ahead of him to argue with the kid. They needed a plan, and more importantly, they needed a miracle. His dad was just coldhearted enough to murder Whitley

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without blinking to get what he wanted. Jude didn’t fear death, but he couldn’t let his mate die for his mistakes. Punching in numbers on his cell phone, Jude pressed the phone to his ear and waited for an answer. It was his last sliver of hope, and he prayed to every deity he knew of that it would work. When his call was finally picked up on the other end, he didn’t even bother with a greeting. “They have Whitley, and I need your help.” **** “Hello, Mother.” Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the cell, and without a scrap of clothing on, Whitley stared up at his captors. He didn’t have a clue why they wanted him naked. Apparently, they thought he would be able to fasten some kind of weapon out of denim and cotton. Maybe they were just trying to humiliate him. If that was the case, it wasn’t working. Whitley could care less about being nude. What he was really worried about were the open wounds across his chest and arms where they’d cut him. The lacerations throbbed painfully, and blood still continued to seep from them. “He should have been here by now,” Elaina Turner said, pacing the floor and checking her watch repeatedly. “Where is he, Reggie?” Jude’s father leaned calmly against the wall, staring holes into Whitley. “He’ll be here. Jude seems to have formed an attachment to this one. He’ll bring the boy.” “Well, I certainly hope so. I don’t know why I even need to be here at all. I suppose if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” Whitley didn’t know why it surprised him that his mother was the brains behind it all. His father couldn’t string two thoughts together without tripping over them. They were barking up the wrong tree, though. After everything Jude had done to rescue his brother, there was no way he would just turn him over with a pretty little bow—not

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even for Whitley. They were probably halfway down the coast by now. “Oh, relax, Lainey. Jude is my son, but he’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. He’s scared, and he doesn’t have a clue who to trust. As far as he’s concerned, I have the entire Council in my pocket. He won’t go to the elders.” “He wasn’t supposed to escape!” Whitley’s mother exploded. “You swore you’d hold him until he’d gone feral, then you’d release him to Gamble for execution. That’s how it was supposed to go. Do you know what they’ll do to us if we can’t fix this?” “They who?” Reginald asked with an arched eyebrow. “UPAC? The elders? No one is going to touch us. Gamble isn’t going to do anything that might possibly tarnish his precious Isa’s reputation. No one even knows we’ve separated.” “I just don’t know how you could have done that to your own son.” Reginald blinked twice and threw his head back, bursting into laughter. Whitley kind of felt like laughing himself. Who the hell did his mother think she was kidding with that bit? “You do realize that you just stabbed your son and then tossed him into a cell he created for him to bleed out. I wouldn’t go casting stones, Lainey.” “Why do you hate me so much?” Whitley asked quietly. It was a question he’d wanted to ask for years, but he’d never had the balls. Since there was a high probability that he wouldn’t live through this, he had nothing to lose by seeking answers now. His mother turned an icy glare on him. “I don’t hate you, Whitley. I don’t care enough to even feel that much for you. You’re a smart boy. Surely you’ve figured it out by now.” “I know I was an accident.” “You were a mistake!” his mother screeched at him. “You were never supposed to be born. We had Ashley and that’s all we needed. I was next in line to be elder. Did you know that?”

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She didn’t sound as though she really wanted an answer, so Whitley kept his mouth closed and folded his hands in his lap as he listened to her rant. “Then I wind up pregnant with you. The doctor thought we’d both die during delivery. You were such a puny, sickly little thing. If I shunted you to the side and took the elder position, how do you think people would have looked at me? So I gave it all up for you, and what a disappointment that turned out to be.” By the time she’d wound down, Whitley was struggling to swallow past the lump in his throat. It wasn’t a shocking revelation, but it still hurt like hell to have all of his suspicions confirmed. His family really did hate him, and they only tolerated him to keep up appearances. If that wasn’t a kick in the nuts, he didn’t know what was. “Sir,” a tiny woman with blonde hair done up in a bun announced as she hurried into the room. “Jude has arrived with the boy.” She cast a sympathetic look at Whitley before returning her attention to Jude’s father. “Thank you, Cara. He knows where we are.” She bowed her head respectfully, though she cast another glance at Whitley from the corner of her eye, and then hurried out the door again. Whitley wasn’t sure whether to sing or weep at the fact that Jude had come for him. He still didn’t believe that his mate would sell Carter out like that. So, what was the man up to? He hoped like hell that Jude had a plan, because he was fresh out of ideas. Two sets of footsteps, one a muffled thump and the other more like a shuffle, grew louder as they came toward the open door. Then Jude was there, leading Carter by a rope. He didn’t even spare a glance for Whitley, but stared his father right in the eyes. Carter stared straight ahead, his eyes wide and unseeing, as he rocked back and forth and mumbled under his breath. The mumbles

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turned to growls, and copious amounts of drool spilled through his lips and dripped down his chin. Whitley didn’t know what the fuck was going on, but he was in no position to question it. Jude had told him Carter was getting better. Had he lied? Was it all a game? If it was all an act, he failed to see how it was going to help any of them. “It’s time,” Jude said evenly. “This is what you wanted. There’s no chance that he’s ever coming back. I don’t want to see him this way, and once he’s gone, all your problems are solved.” Reginald prowled around Carter, eyeing him intently. He jumped back when Carter turned and snapped at him, loud snarls rumbling up from his chest. “Call Elder Gamble,” Jude demanded. “It’s time to end this.” “I’m here,” another man announced as he stepped in through the door. “I have a vested interest in seeing this whole mess put behind us.” Whitley tilted his head to the side and smirked. Elder Gamble was a waif of a man, probably no more than five-five. His long blond hair flowed over his shoulders, making him look extremely young. Why was everyone so damn scared of him? He was a shark shifter, but what on earth could he do to them out of the water? Reginald crossed his arms over his chest and frowned, looking so much like Jude, Whitley had to look away. Maybe his mate had lied to him and manipulated him, but that didn’t mean he was as underhanded as his father. Jude wasn’t cruel. He’d just wanted to save his brother. When he looked at it that way, Whitley didn’t take it quite so personally. Jude hadn’t deliberately meant to hurt him. It could have been anyone, as long as they had what he needed to help Carter escape. Hell, it could have been Ashley. Following that train of thought, Whitley realized that Jude had never actually lied to him. He’d withheld a shitload of information, yes. He’d used Whitley to get what he needed, but he’d never been

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malicious about it. Maybe he was having a hard time understanding because he’d never cared for anyone like Jude cared for his brother. Or maybe it was because he’d never had anyone need him or depend on him. Seeing his mate there, prepared to watch his brother die so that Whitley could go free, shifted something inside his heart, allowing a small ray of light to peek through the darkness. It was possible that Jude had purely selfish motivations for his actions. If Whitley died, Jude would as well. Throughout the entire ordeal, Jude had never come across as the type of man to worry about his own well-being. Everything he did was for those he cared about, and just maybe, Whitley was one of those people.

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Chapter Twelve He couldn’t look at Whitley. If he did, he’d ruin everything. Jude could smell the blood, and he’d caught a flash of bare skin inside the cell when he’d entered the room, but he couldn’t look. If it was anywhere near as bad as he imagined in his head, he’d lose it and slaughter them all for what they’d done to his mate. “Make the phone call,” his dad said to the elder. “We all want this over with so that we can move on.” Jude didn’t know what Whitley’s mother had to do with any of it, but he assumed it all came down to money. He wasn’t too interested in the particulars. When the time came, the snooty brunette could go down with the rest of them. He especially enjoyed how they were talking about Carter as though he was the bad guy, and they were all gathered to dish out a rightly deserved justice. If everything went as planned, they were all in for a very rude awakening. “Very well,” Elder Gamble said as he dug his cell phone out of his pocket. “We can’t involve UPAC, though. It would be detrimental to my career and reputation if they were to find out about this.” “You’re not suggesting The Allegiance,” Whitley’s mother gasped. She fisted her dainty hands on her hips and growled. “Seymour has made a fine mess of this. I should never have trusted him with something so important.” “Yes, well, The Allegiance is discreet, and they never talk.” Elder Gamble began dialing as he spoke. “Not to worry, Elaina. You’ll still have your seat on the Council.”

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Jude kept his face impassive, but inwardly, he was grinning a mile wide. More pieces were falling into place about the reason for Elaina Turner’s involvement. He assumed Whitley could fill him in on the details later. He was also more than a little pleased that Gamble was going to The Allegiance without needing to be prodded in that direction. So far, things were working perfectly. “We have a feral shifter here,” Gamble said into his phone a moment later. “It’s a delicate situation. UPAC cannot be involved. Yes, that’s right. Mr. Reginald Chambers’ residence.” He rambled off the address, inquired as to how quickly someone would be there, and disconnected the call as calmly as if he was ordering a pizza. “Someone will be here before sunrise.” Reginald and Elaina gaped. “You can’t be serious!” Elaina exclaimed. “What are we supposed to do until then?” Gamble shrugged. “They’re not going anywhere, my dear. Let’s go have a drink while we wait.” Apparently, neither of them had a good argument against this, because they simply nodded and followed the elder out of the room, locking it behind them. The lock didn’t mean anything to Jude. He had no intentions of trying to escape. “Jude, what’s going on?” Whitley asked in a loud whisper. Shaking his head, Jude held a finger to his lips, and pressed his ear against the door, listening until the footsteps had faded away. Once he was sure their captors were gone, he rushed across the room and knelt in front of the door to the cage, but didn’t touch it. Whitley scrambled across the floor and stopped just on the other side of the bars. “You came back for me.” Jude wanted to reach out and touch Whitley in the worst way. “Did you have any doubt?” The look on his mate’s face said that he’d had many of them. “Everything is going to be fine. I need you to hang on for just a little longer.” Three long gashes across Whitley’s chest oozed blood, and one arm looked mangled with puncture marks. Jude couldn’t stop the

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growl that burst from his lips, and he was glad he hadn’t chanced a look at his mate earlier. No way could he have remained passive after seeing something like that. “How bad does it hurt, Whit?” Whitley shrugged. “It’s not so bad anymore.” Jude looked around his lover, eyeing the blood smeared over the floor of the cell. Just how much blood had Whitley lost? How much more before it was too much? If they could get him out of the cell, he could shift and heal himself, but until that happened, they didn’t have many options. Whitley rattled off some numbers to him and jerked his head toward the back corner of the cell. “That’s the code to shut it down.” Before Jude could move, Carter was across the room and punching numbers into the keypad on the box. “Done,” he said with a bright smile. “This rope itches, Jude.” Whipping his shirt over his head, Jude threaded it through the bars. “Put pressure on the worst of the wounds. Help is coming, baby. Just hang on for a little longer.” Then he turned to his brother. “Same goes for you. We have to keep this up for a little longer.” “Turn the cell back on,” Whitley said as he took the shirt and pressed it to one of the cuts on his chest. “I don’t know what you have up your sleeve, but we need this to look as real as possible.” “Shift first,” Jude ordered. “Shift and heal yourself before we reactivate it.” Whitley shook his head. “They’ll know something is up if they come back and I’m healed. We need everything to be the same as it was when they left.” He reached through the bars with a trembling hand and rested his fingertips on Jude’s forearm. “I’m going to be fine.” The strain in his voice and flush of his skin said otherwise. Jude’s arm burned where his mate touched him, and it suddenly dawned on him that once again, they’d exceeded their twenty-four-hour time limit. “I am really horrible at this mating shit.”

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Whitley chuckled and shook his head. “Well, I wouldn’t give you a gold star, but you had no way of knowing this would happen. I’ll make you pay when we get out of here.” Then he pulled his arm back through the bars and nodded to Carter to activate the cell. If Whitley wanted to make him suffer, Jude would accept anything the guy had to dish out. “I never meant for this to happen. I’m so sorry for everything.” “You can make it up to me later.” Whitley gave him a crooked grin and sat back on his heels. “I’m not saying I forgive you, and I’m not saying I trust you. I don’t hate you anymore, though, so I guess that’s a place to start.” “You won’t be sorry,” Jude vowed, overwhelmed that after everything he’d done, Whitley was willing to give him a second chance. “It’s going to be perfect this time.” Whitley gave him a disbelieving look but bobbed his head. “I hope so, Jude.” Carter wandered back over to the door and sat down in front of it, pressing his ear to the wood. Satisfied that his brother would let them know if anyone was coming, Jude plopped down on his butt and folded his legs beneath him. “What’s your favorite color?” “Umm, green?” The inflection in Whitley’s voice made his answer sound like a question. Jude found it kind of cute. “Mine’s orange. What about hobbies? What do you like to do for fun?” Whitley gave him a soft smile, apparently catching on to his game. “Anything to do with computers, I guess.” Jude bobbed his head, committing it all to memory. “What about books? Do you like to read?” “I like the classics. What about you?” “I don’t read much.” Jude shrugged. He wasn’t illiterate. Reading just wasn’t something he enjoyed doing for pleasure. “Tell me a secret about you.”

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“You first,” Whitley countered. That seemed fair enough. “Though I’m a water shifter, I can’t swim unless I shift.” Whitley slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter. “Seriously?” he whispered. He laughed some more when Jude nodded before getting himself under control. “I can’t fly. Well, I guess technically, I can, but I don’t because it scares the shit out of me.” It was Jude’s turn to chuckle. They made quite the messed-up pair. On and on it went, each of them asking questions and digging up buried secrets. He didn’t know how long they sat there, but his butt started going numb, and his cock jerked excitedly with each smile Whitley gave him. Part of it was because of the mating heat, but a larger portion of that had to do with how much Jude truly desired his mate. “Someone’s coming,” Carter whispered before scrambling to his feet and holding his bound hands out toward Jude. “Just sit tight,” Jude told his lover, then jumped to his feet, crossed the room, and took the end of the rope tied around Carter’s wrists. “This is it.” Carter started drooling and snarling again as he fought against his restraints. The kid was a damn good actor. Jude pinned him up against the wall with an arm across his collarbones, careful not to cut off his air supply. “Sorry,” he mumbled. Blinking to signal he understood, Carter jerked his head forward and snapped his teeth together just as the door opened and several people filed into the room. Reginald led the way with Elaina and Gamble following just behind him. Then two men and a small redheaded woman came after them. Jude assumed they were from The Allegiance. The last person who entered the room made his jaw drop and his head reel. “Elder Swanson?”

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Carter, not registering his shock, made another lunge for him. Jude wasn’t prepared, and he cursed loudly when his brother’s forehead smacked into his chin. “Fuck, Carter!” “Yes, I see what you were saying,” Elder Swanson commented as he stared Carter up and down. He looked bored with his hands laced behind his back and his nose turned up in the air. “I still don’t understand why you couldn’t simply call in the UPAC guards, however.” Emmett Gamble hurried forward and began a long-winded speech about upholding family honor and yadda, yadda, yadda. “So, you see, this would look very undignified for my daughter if it leaked that her mate was not only caught cheating, but produced a child from the affair.” Elder Swanson nodded slowly. “Yes, I see your predicament, Emmett. Was the boy feral when you found him?” Gamble and Reginald glanced at each other and fidgeted nervously. “Yes,” Jude’s father lied. “I see.” Elder Swanson glided across the floor toward the cell where Whitley was. “And you locked him inside this cell so that he couldn’t harm anyone. Then you called me immediately.” “Yes,” Elaina piped up. The elder turned his head to grin at her. “Elaina, it’s nice to see you. I’m assuming you’re here to get your son back.” Elaina’s face paled and she began to tremble. “He…no…I mean, we caught him freeing the boy. He’s not right in his mind.” “Is that right?” He turned back to the cage and tilted his head to the side. “Hello, Whitley.” “Hello, sir,” Whitley returned, dropping his head respectfully. “Were you involved in freeing this young man?” Whitley lifted his head and looked the elder right in the eyes. “Yes.” “See?” Elaina pointed her finger and jabbed it repeatedly in Whitley’s direction. “He admits it.”

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“Would you shut the hell up?” Whitley shot at his mother in exasperation. “You could talk the damn paint off the wall.” Jude swelled with pride at Whitley’s outburst. Way to go, baby, he cheered silently. The snotty bitch deserved much worse than that, but he was happy to see his mate finally standing up for himself. Elder Swanson chuckled under his breath. “Maybe you’d like to try again, Elaina. Your son seems perfectly stable to me.” “You are not here on behalf of UPAC, and it’s not your job to question anything.” Elder Gamble crossed his arms and glared. “Just get on with the execution.” “And who would you have me execute?” They all turned as one to look at Carter, who was smiling happily as Jude untied the ropes around his wrist. “Hi, Dad,” he said with a cheery wave when his wrists were free. “You come here often?” “You!” Jude stood his ground as his father advanced on him. Two of the guards stepped between them and ushered Reginald back. “You lying, treacherous bastard! You tricked us. He was feral! I made sure of it!” “Do you know how much money I shelled out to that stupid bitch?” Gamble jerked his head at Elaina. “All so that this little problem would go away. You’re going to pay for this.” Resting his hands on his hips, Jude tilted his head to the side and smirked. In their self-righteous fury, they’d just blurted everything Elder Swanson needed to know. He had a very childish urge to stick his tongue out and sing, “Nana, nana, nana!” He refrained, of course, though he might have done it inside his head. Just a little. Elder Swanson dipped his head to his guards, and within seconds Elaina, Reginald, and Elder Gamble were on the ground with their hands behind their backs. Swanson was saying something that sounded official, but Jude wasn’t listening. He raced across the room, threw open the cover to the control box on the cell, and looked up to Whitley for the codes.

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Whitley rattled them off, and Jude punched the numbers in one by one. When he’d shut down the power supply, he punched in the next code to unlock the door. Moments later he wrenched Whitley into his arms and covered his mouth in a hard, possessive kiss. “Are you okay?” He stroked his mate’s cheeks and wiped the sweat away from his brow. “Let’s get you fixed up, baby.” Whitley rolled his eyes, but he was grinning from ear to ear. “I’m okay, Jude. Just take deep breaths and relax.” Then he pushed up on his toes and pressed their lips together. “Thanks for coming back for me. How did you do it, though?” “Well, it went like this…”

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Chapter Thirteen “See, I called Melody, and she talked to Shane, and Shane knew this guy named Shade who’s part of The Allegiance, so he called in a favor, and here we are.” Whitley stared up at his mate dazedly. “Huh?” That entire explanation just made his head hurt. “Okay, take it from the top and a little slower this time.” Jude chuckled, lifted Whitley into his arms, and swung him around before setting him back on his feet. “Melody has been trying to help me find a way to fix all of this. That’s why she’s been calling me. Well, Shane is a UPAC guard, and he works with The Allegiance occasionally, so he knows this guy, Shade Santiago. I guess he was at the gathering as well, and ended up with two mates, but that’s neither here nor there.” Jude waved a hand around dismissively. The excitement in Jude’s voice made Whitley smile, but he still wasn’t following along. “I have no clue what you just said. What the hell is The Allegiance?” “It’s this group that hunts down rogue paranormals. They work with UPAC sometimes, but they’re mostly an independent entity.” Whitley nodded. “Okay, I got that.” He’d have a lot more questions about it later, but for now, it was enough. “Now, how do Melody and Shane fit into all of this?” “Shane was once a part of The Allegiance as well,” Elder Swanson answered when the guards escorted the three shifters from the room. “While he does know Shade, it has nothing to do with my being here.” He smiled in apology at Jude. “I’m sorry he had to lie to you, but no one can know that I also head The Allegiance.”

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“Does that mean you’re going to kill us now?” Whitley asked with wide eyes. He didn’t like that plan at all. The elder chuckled. “No, I’m not going to kill you. For a long time, that would have been the case, but I’ve been making steady changes since I took over. Take Shane for example. Used to be, it was either The Allegiance or death. Since I’m in charge, I figured I could bend the rules a little for my nephew.” “Melody’s mate is your nephew?” Whitley’s head was really beginning to throb now. “So you meant he called in a favor, not this Shade guy?” “Yes and yes. But don’t think I’m playing favorites with my family. Shade Santiago will be granted a full reprieve as well, with stipulations, of course. When we find him,” he added under his breath. “You can imagine how shocked I was to see him at the gathering. Our members give up everything when they join, including the hopes of ever finding a mate. I suppose I felt sorry for him, though. He’s been alone for over six millennia, so I allowed it. I even recorded his mating myself. It was hard not to laugh at the look on his face when he saw me, though.” It was all very interesting, but Whitley didn’t know what it had to do with their current situation. “Ah, but I digress,” the elder said as though reading his mind. “Let’s just say that if your mate and his friend had confided in my nephew sooner, much of this could have been avoided.” Whitley understood that part, and he glared up at Jude. “Hey!” Jude held his hands up in surrender. “He’s Melody’s mate! How the hell was I supposed to know that he had these kind of connections? After what happened when I came clean with you, she decided it was time to do the same with her mate. I have to say that he took it much better than you did.” Whitley didn’t care for the accusation in Jude’s tone. “Well, none of this really affected him, now did it?”

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“Point taken.” Jude brushed his knuckles over the side of Whitley’s face and smiled. “You already agreed to give me a second chance, and I’m going to hold you to it. No backing out now, Whit.” “You’re a pain in my ass,” Whitley grumbled. He had agreed to give their mating another go, however. The funny part was that he was actually looking forward to starting over without all the bullshit between them. “If you screw it up again, I’m going to feed you your balls, though.” “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Jude purred to him before dipping his head and pressing their lips together. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, though. I’ve got too much to lose to dick this up again.” Oh, the man said all the right things. Whitley just hoped he could back them up. “So, what’s going to happen to our parents and Elder Gamble?” he asked Elder Swanson. “They’ll be tried and sentenced accordingly. Guards have also been sent to your home in Virginia to apprehend your father and brother. Their memories will be altered by The Allegiance so that they forget I was here, and a suitable story will be offered to The Council. All rights and profits for the holding cells will be transferred into your name, and this estate now belongs to Jude. Does that cover everything?” Whitley nodded slowly. He really liked this elder. “How did you know about the cells?” Elder Swanson winked at him. “There is very little that I don’t know. Besides, your father is a complete twit. There is no way on earth I’d believe he designed such a brilliant invention.” “So, this house is mine now?” Jude asked. “It will be by five o’clock this evening.” The elder seemed to be waiting to see if they had any more questions. When they didn’t, he dipped his head and backed away. “I’ll have to ask you to keep this quiet. I’m sure you understand why.” “You can trust us,” Whitley said hurriedly.

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“I know. That’s why I’m not altering your memories as well. I hate to rush off, but I’m needed in Dallas, Texas, tomorrow morning to deal with a siren and his extremely bothersome aunts.” He frowned, looking very put out. “I really don’t like those women. I knew this whole forced mating thing was going to cause problems. Do you know how many elders have had to go settle issues between these newly mated pairs?” He didn’t wait for an answer as he strode out of the room, grumbling under his breath the entire way. Once they were alone, Carter broke into laughter. “I like that guy. He’s almost normal for an elder.” Whitley barely heard him, though. Now that everything was over, the fire returned full force to rage through his body and boil his blood. To his extreme aggravation, Jude held a hand up to stop his advance and shook his head. “Let’s get you healed first.” “How about a blow job?” “No.” “A hand job?” he asked hopefully. “No,” Jude said with a snicker. “You can make it another few minutes until we get you fixed up.” “That’s it,” Carter announced with a mock shudder. “I’m out of here.” “Get a shower and grab some clothes out of my room,” Jude said as he wrapped his fingers around Whitley’s neck and led him out of the room. “Second door on the left.” He pointed down the hallway. “You can use my bathroom as well.” “Thanks, Jude. Have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Carter winked and took off in the opposite direction. “Maybe you could just tickle my balls,” Whitley suggested, getting back to the important stuff. Jude laughed as he steered them toward the staircase. Whitley didn’t see what was so funny. He’d been dead serious about having his balls groped.

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“I don’t like you very much right now.” “I know, but from now on, I’m putting you first. If you think I don’t want to be buried inside your ass right now, you’re wrong. I don’t know all the rules about being a good mate, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say fucking you while you’re hurt and bleeding is not the way to do it.” Okay, the man had a point, and he was trying so hard. “Fine, where are we going?” “You’re going to shift so you can heal yourself, take a shower, and then I’m going to feed you. We’ll see what happens from there.” That’s exactly what they did, too, with zero variation from the plan. While Whitley felt like his dick was going to fall off, he had to admit that once the adrenaline wore off, he hadn’t really been feeling up to messing around with his mate. Shifting healed the more shallow wounds, but the others still hurt like the six shades of hell. After his shower, Jude bandaged him up, led him to the kitchen, and nudged him into one of the kitchen chairs. Then although he had a full staff on hand, he sent them all away and prepared Whitley’s breakfast himself. “Do you think you’d like to stay here?” Jude asked while he flipped the French toast on the griddle. “We could have all your things shipped. Or we can even go get them when you’re feeling better.” Whitley understood that Jude had a responsibility to the staff that resided inside the household. He had no desire to return to Virginia, either. “This place is much nicer than mine, and I really like what I’ve seen of California. I don’t have much at my place, but I don’t really know anyone who would box it up and ship it for me, either.” “You don’t have any friends?” “No.” He’d always kept to himself, which didn’t allow for many opportunities to meet people. The few lovers that had passed through his life had all been arranged by his family. It kind of made sense why

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they’d all treated him like a piece of property now. At least his parents hadn’t tried to force a woman on him. The only reason he’d ended up in Scotland for the gathering was because the invitation had said it was mandatory. He liked rules and figured they should be followed, especially when they came from the governing body of the paranormal world. “Would you object to Arman going?” Whitley thought it over briefly. “That would fine, if he doesn’t mind.” He squirmed in his seat and pressed the heel of his hand against his straining erection. “Jude, I don’t know how much longer I can stand this. I’m burning alive and my dick hurts.” “Oh!” Jude spun around and hurried over to the table, pulling a small vial out of his pocket. “I don’t know exactly what this is or how it works, but Elder Swanson gave the same to me. It gives us a threeday reprieve so you can heal before we need to get physical again.” He waggled his eyebrows as he passed the glass tube over. Whitley snatched it and downed the contents, eager for any kind of relief. Within seconds his cock deflated and the heat dissipated from his body causing him to sigh tiredly. “I think I have a crush on that man.” Jude laughed and kissed the tip of his nose. “Since he saved our asses, I’m going to let that one slide. Make no mistake, though. You belong to me.” “And you belong to me,” Whitley countered. “Now, hurry your sweet ass up and bring me some breakfast.” His mate looked offended for a second before he chuckled and shook his head. “And you used to be so quiet and shy.” It was true, but it seemed like an entire lifetime ago. “In a little less than two weeks, I’ve been mated, used, manipulated, kidnapped, stabbed, and told I should have never been born by my own mother. To top it off, I didn’t even get to use those awesome ninja moves you taught me. I guess those things have a way of changing people.”

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Jude didn’t say anything, but his muscles tensed and his head drooped a little. If they really were going to try to make this work, Whitley needed to get over Jude’s deception. Hell, he could see where the man was coming from, and he really wasn’t that angry anymore. No way would he have given Jude another shot if he felt his mate’s actions had been sinister in their intent. Still, Jude had been a jackass of epic proportions, and Whitley didn’t see any harm in making him squirm for a while longer.

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Chapter Fourteen “I’m going out,” Carter announced as he jogged down the stairs. “Don’t wait up!” Whitley looked like he’d say something, but Jude reached over and covered his mouth. “Have fun and stay out of trouble,” he called. Carter gave him a wave and slipped out the front door. “I know he’s young, but he’s not a kid,” Jude told his mate gently. “He’s almost nineteen, and I think he’s proven that he’s responsible.” “I know.” Whitley sighed and leaned back on the sofa. “I just worry about him.” Jude worried as well, and he probably always would. Carter had grown in leaps and bounds in the last four months, though. He never stepped out of line or made waves, more than earning their trust. “I think he’s got a sweetheart.” “What?” Whitley jolted upright, and Jude had to grab him to keep him from bolting off the couch. “He’s too young. Who is he seeing? They’re being careful, right? I know we can’t get diseases, but he could still get a girl pregnant. He’s not ready for that, yet.” Jude laughed and pulled his mate back down to the cushions. “First off, he’s not too young. Secondly, I have a suspicion that girls don’t push his buttons, if you know what I mean. Let the kid have some fun. He’s earned it.” “Fine, but I want you to talk to him when he gets home.” Whitley pulled his feet up on the sofa and curled into Jude’s side. “He might have questions.” “I’ll talk to him.” It wasn’t a conversation he was looking forward to, but if it made Whitley happy, he’d do his best.

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Just like he’d been doing every day since Whitley had agreed to stay and work out their issues. Not once in the past four months had he lied to his mate about anything. He’d fessed up to every wrongdoing from eating the last of the Oreos to throwing out all of Whitley’s sweater-vests. In his defense, they really were hideous. Though Whitley was coming around, he still seemed to be holding something back. He knew it would take time to earn back Whitley’s full trust, but it still hurt. Waking up with the man in his arms every morning was the best feeling in the world. Their sex life was still earth-shattering, and Whitley was very much into that part of their relationship. It just felt like something was missing. Carter’s words kept coming back to haunt him as well. If what he felt was love for Whitley, he’d know. Right? He wouldn’t have to guess or wonder. Well, somewhere during the course of building his new life with the man at his side, he’d stopped wondering. He was reluctant to voice his feelings, though. It was highly unlikely that Whitley felt the same way about him, and the thought of rejection scared him. What if it was too fast? He didn’t think his heart would survive if Whitley tried to run again. So, he kept his emotions bottled up inside and just did the best he could to be a good mate and devoted partner. Sometimes he questioned if he was being selfish, though. He’d promised to never lie or keep things from Whitley again. Yet, there he was, hiding part of himself so that he wouldn’t have to face a letdown if his feelings weren’t returned. “What are you thinking about?” Whitley asked, interrupting his internal argument. “Us,” Jude answered honestly. “What about us?” Whitley wiggled around and tilted his head back. “Is something wrong?” Seeing the concern on his lover’s face, Jude closed his eyes and sighed. He couldn’t stand to see that look on Whitley’s face and know he’d caused it once again. “I’ve been keeping something from you.”

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As expected, Whitley tensed and eased away from him. “Jude, I thought we were past this?” Opening his eyes, Jude reached out and took one of Whitley’s hands in his own. “I know, and I’m sorry. I was just afraid to tell you.” “Okay, then tell me now,” Whitley demanded as his eyes narrowed. “You are the most important thing in my life. I really don’t even remember who I was before I met you, and I don’t want to because I know I wouldn’t like that person very much. You have this…this elegance about you, but it’s not feminine. I guess it’s more like sophistication. I’m not like that.” He knew he was doing a poor job of explaining what he wanted to say, but he wasn’t good with words like his mate. No matter what happened, Whitley always took everything in stride. Rarely did he get upset, and when he did it was a quiet anger. When Jude looked at him, he could easily picture the graceful swan that lurked inside his mate. A little smile tugged at the corners of Whitley’s lips. “I understand, Jude. Keep going.” That was another thing. Whitley always understood and was understanding. While the two might seem the same to some people, Jude saw them as two very distinct things. Whitley knew what Jude was trying to say and was sympathetic enough to realize how hard it was for him to say it. “I know we’re different, and we don’t have a lot in common, but I think we fit together. You make me happy, Whit. I like myself better when I’m with you.” Whitley chuckled under his breath. “You make me happy, too, Jude. Will you just spit it out now?” “I love you.” Jude didn’t know how he expected to feel after saying the words, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that it made his heart swell and his insides feel all gooey. “I know you’re still

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learning to trust me again, and I can respect that. But I love you, and I wanted you to know.” “Was that so hard?” Whitley whispered as he moved closer and molded himself to Jude’s chest. “I have a secret, too.” “Oh?” Jude doubted it would be as big as his, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to hear it. “Do tell.” “I do trust you. I think you’ve more than proven yourself. Sure, you’re a little rough around the edges, but we’ll work on that.” He winked mischievously. “I love you, Jude, and I’m very happy that you tricked me into mating you.” Jude wasn’t sure what happened, but something inside of him snapped, and by the time reality returned to him, they were both completely naked and writhing together on the floor. “I really, really love you,” he panted before attacking Whitley’s mouth and thrusting his tongue deep inside. “That’s a lot of love,” Whitley gasped when Jude released his lips. “I want to give you something, Whit, something I’ve never given anyone else. Something that I hope proves that I see us as equals and I trust you as much as I want you to trust me.” He was nervous as hell, but he meant every word of it. Thankfully, Whitley understood as always and didn’t make him spell it out. “Get the lube.” Extending his arm to the side, Jude fumbled under the couch cushion and came back with a small bottle of lube. “In case of emergencies,” he said with a shrug when Whitley arched an eyebrow at him. “Hands and knees, babe,” Whitley ordered with a pat to his hip. Jude had never seen this forceful side of his mate before, and it made him hard as rock. Still… “I want to see you.” Whitley looked up at him for a moment and nodded slowly. “Okay, then lie back and relax.” Pushing the coffee table aside, Jude did as instructed, stretching out on his back and bending his knees. His muscles twitched, his ass

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clenched and relaxed, and his dick throbbed in nervous anticipation of what was to come. The snick of the bottle cap had his butt cheeks tightening as if trying to shield his hole from view. Whitley smiled gently and crawled up his body, peppering little kisses along his abs and chest. “Breathe, baby.” His legs were nudged wider, and a slippery finger skimmed along his crease. Whitley licked and nibbled back down his body and flicked his tongue over the engorged crown of Jude’s cock. That slick digit found Jude’s fluttering hole and caressed it in little circles, applying pressure but never entering. “Breathe,” Whitley repeated before wrapping his lips around Jude’s cock and pushing the tip of his finger into Jude’s virgin entrance. Jude gasped and his hips arched up off the floor. He didn’t know if he liked it or if he wanted it to stop. The harder Whitley sucked on the head of his cock, the more he decided he liked it. When those plump lips slid down the rest of his rigid length and his mate’s throat muscles constricted around the tip, he decided he fucking loved it. There was a little sting and some pressure as Whitley worked his finger deeper into Jude’s channel, but it wasn’t too bad—possibly because the suction around his dick kept him distracted, but he could live with that. Just when he was getting used to the slow glide of one finger in his ass, Whitley added a second. Jude definitely felt that, and he still couldn’t decide if it was good or bad. Then those probing digits raked over something inside him that made lights explode in his vision and a loud cry burst from his panting lips. “Found it.” Whitley chuckled, released Jude’s cock so that it slapped against his lower belly. “One more.” “Do that again,” Jude begged. “Who’s in charge here?”

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A third finger slid in beside the first two, and Jude’s back bowed up off the carpet as he rocked against his mate’s hand. He supposed that answered the question of if he liked it or not. His orgasm raced toward him, barreling down on him like a freight train. He was so close, just a little more. Then everything stopped when Whitley eased his fingers from Jude’s ass. “No!” “Relax, love. I’m going to take good care of you.” The click of the bottle cap sounded again, and Whitley positioned himself between Jude’s thighs, pushing his knees back toward his chest. The blunt tip of his cock nudged against Jude’s hungry hole, then very slowly, he pushed forward until he breached the guarding ring of muscles. Jude’s next breath caught in his throat and his ass clenched around the invading length. “Fuck!” he gasped when he could breathe again. “Breathe,” Whitley urged for the third time. “You have to relax.” His voice sounded strained, and his face was pinched as he continued to ease forward, sheathing himself until his balls nestled firmly against Jude’s ass. “Tell me when you’re ready.” “Just move,” Jude grunted. Whitley eased out until only the flared crown remained, then surged forward again. With each thrust, the burn lessened and the pleasure increased. Jude’s cock sprang back to life, hard and throbbing as it bounced against his belly and smeared his lower abs with pre-cum. “Harder.” Taking him at his word, Whitley’s fingers dug into the back of his thighs, and he drove into Jude’s ass with a wild intensity. Lifting his arms over his head, Jude braced them against the sofa and began to move with his lover, rocking back so that he could take Whitley deeper inside him.

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Bending one leg out to the side, Whitley planted his foot on the floor beside Jude’s hip and bent over him, changing the angle and nailing Jude’s sweet spot on the next forceful plunge. Over and over, Whitley assaulted his prostate until Jude was nothing more than a mewling heap of writhing mush. When his mate’s long fingers wrapped around his cock and squeezed, he couldn’t have stopped his climax if he’d wanted. “Whit!” he screamed as his vision dimmed and he completely shattered. Hot ropes of cum shot from his slit, arching into the air and splattering across his chest and stomach. Somewhere in his lustaddled brain he vaguely registered Whitley’s low growl as wet heat coated his inner walls and filled his channel. “Are you okay?” Whitley asked a moment later as he collapsed onto Jude’s chest. “We are doing that again. Soon, repeatedly, and often.” Whitley’s chuckle turned to a hiss as his flagging erection slipped from Jude’s still convulsing hole. “I like the sound of that. Not for a couple of days, though. You’re going to be a little sore, I’m afraid.” Jude didn’t care. It was completely worth it. “Maybe a warm bath would help.” “Mmm, mind if I join you?” “I was counting on it.” Whitley rolled off him and pushed to his feet, holding a hand out to help Jude up as well. “Move your sexy ass, Mr. Chambers.” Jude went willingly with a huge smile on his face. “Hey, Whit?” he called over his shoulder. “Yes?” Whitley answered with a smile in his voice. “I really love you.” “I know, love. How could you not?” Jude chuckled all the way up the stairs and into their private bath. He couldn’t deny that the guy had a point. He was an amazing man, and he was all Jude’s. He didn’t know what else he could ask for. “Hey, Jude?”

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Jude smirked as he started the bathwater. “Yes?” he answered without turning around. He liked Whitley’s dominant side, but he liked this playful side just as much. “I really love you, too.” Smiling so wide his cheeks hurt, Jude climbed into the tub, spread his thighs, and sighed in contentment when Whitley climbed in and settled between his legs, leaning back against his chest. Wrapping his arms around his mate, he held him close and trailed kisses along the side of his neck. As usual, he’d been wrong. There had been one thing he’d wanted more than anything, and that was Whitley’s love in return. Now that he had it, his Christmas list was going to look a little bleak. “You are seriously ruining my favorite holiday.” Whitley tilted his head back and looked up at Jude in confusion, his eyebrows drawing together and his brow wrinkling. “You know I really don’t understand half of the things that come out of your mouth.” “Just go with it,” Jude suggested before dipping his head for a kiss. “It’s easier that way.” “So, what’s your favorite holiday?” “Christmas.” “And how did I ruin it again?” Jude smirked and reached for the soap. “By giving me everything I wanted today.”

THE END WWW.GABRIELLEEVANS.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gabrielle Evans grew up in a small town in southern Oklahoma. We are talking one red light that may or may not work depending on the day of the week. She married her high school sweetheart and the rest is pretty much history. They have two very active boys and one high-strung wiener dog that keeps her constantly on the go. For now, she parks her car in central Indiana, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. Gabrielle believes in love at first sight, falling hard and fast, taking chances, and grabbing your happy-ever-after with both hands. Most importantly, she believes that a great cup of coffee can cure anything.

Also by Gabrielle Evans Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 1: Caution: Contents Under Pressure Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 2: Faith, Trust, and Stardust Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 3: Forgotten Sins Everlasting Classic ManLove: Haven 4: Back Roads

For all other titles, please visit www.bookstrand.com/gabrielle-evans

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