One look into each of the man’s eyes and Aidan had the answer he suspected. It brought him a measure of relief. He’d been worried about what Mika and Gabe might do to Zane when his mate showed up. Now he knew they would help the man however they could despite his past behaviour.

  Aidan spread his hands wide on the rail and decided to trust them with the truth. After all, they had first-hand experience with Zane Mitchell.

  He looked at Gabe and Mika, considered, then laid it on the line. “I want to speak with my mate.”

  Mika reeled back as if he’d been struck, but Gabe just narrowed his eyes and glared at Aidan.

  “You’re joking, right? Because, let me tell you, that is not funny.”

  “No, he isn’t joking,” Mika answered before Aidan could.

  “All right, then,” Gabe crossed his arms over his chest and nodded at Aidan. “I think you need to tell us what exactly is going on, because you are not getting through the front door until you do.” Gabe’s eyes narrowed even more, until Aidan wondered if the man could even see. “And even after you do tell us, that still doesn’t mean you’re coming in.”

  Aidan saw the determination etched in Gabe’s features and considered his options. He had clearly underestimated Mika’s mate. The man looked quite capable of violence if provoked. It was also apparent that Gabe was fiercely loyal and protective. Mika was a very lucky man.

  “Very well, but I think in the face of your honesty, it’s only fair to warn you that I will not leave here without speaking to my mate. Under any circumstance.” Aidan held Gabe’s stare, refusing to look away even when Mika tried to nudge Gabe aside.

  “I don’t tolerate threats, Criswell, and as Gabe pointed out so clearly earlier, we are not a part of your pack.”

  “And you wouldn’t walk off and leave your mate, either, would you Mika?” Aidan spared the man a glance. He could see the anger in Mika’s tensed body, scent it in the air.

  “No, I wouldn’t, but I wouldn’t hand over an injured man to someone he was running from, either.”

  Aidan nodded. “I didn’t think you would, and believe me, I am quite aware of the fact that Zane is running.” He sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted, what little hope he’d held onto skittering away. “That doesn’t change the fact that he is my mate, and I’m his. If we can’t at least talk…” Aidan shrugged and looked away, thinking that talking might not be any help at all.

  “Mika,” Gabe’s voice held a wealth of understanding, “he’s right. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but what would happen if they both walk away?”

  Even hearing it said out loud caused Aidan’s heart to stutter. Mika just shook his head.

  “All right then, you two boys quit playing my-penis-is-bigger-than-yours and let’s talk.” Gabe plopped back down in his chair and tugged on Mika’s arm hard enough to make him stumble back. He shot Gabe a look that promised retribution.

  “Mine is, regardless.” Mika leered at Gabe then faced Aidan. “So talk.”

  * * * *

  Aidan’s eyes were dry and gritty with the need for sleep and the sun was just starting to rise when Mika and Gabe led him to the guest room where Zane lay injured. Once or twice during their conversation, Gabe had gotten up to check on Zane, only nodding to Aidan when he returned back to his place by Mika’s side. Aidan took those nods to mean Zane was doing as well as could be expected.

  He took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for the flood of emotions that would kick in once he saw his mate. The smell of blood, pain, and hopelessness hit him like a Mack truck, nearly bringing him to his knees.

  “Oh God,” Aidan murmured, bracing one hand on the door.

  “Hey,” Gabe slipped up beside him, eyes soft with compassion, “do you want us to go in with you? It might help, if he’s awake.”

  “No; I need to… But thank you, Gabe Staley.” Aidan looked over Gabe’s shoulder at Mika. “You’re a very lucky man.”

  The tips of Gabe’s ears turned red, but Mika practically glowed with pride. “Yes, I am, aren’t I? Come on, babe; we never did finish…” Mika wrapped an arm around a now-entirely flushed Gabe and led him away.

  Aidan pushed aside his envy and slid his hand to the door knob, grateful when it twisted silently and that the door opened without making a sound as well. He leant against the door, forehead against the cool wood and tried to get his riotous emotions under control. Being this close to his mate was wreaking havoc on his self-control. His cock was hard as steel and throbbed with each beat of his heart. He took several shaky breaths, trying to control the need that demanded he turn and claim his mate in the most basic of ways.

  The rustling of material had Aidan’s spine stiffening and his shoulders pulling back. He pushed away from the door and faced Zane, expecting to see a panicked look on the man’s face. Disappointment coursed through him when he realised Zane had only shifted in his sleep.

  Ignoring the feeling, Aidan strode quietly to the bed, hoping the frantic beating of his heart would not give away his presence. Despite the bruises marring his mate’s face, the man was breathtaking. It was the only word he could think of as his gaze travelled over the length of his mate’s body. A white bandage on Zane’s chest covered what Aidan suspected was the bite he’d been told about. That wound, he expected, but what were the small silvery scars from that dotted Zane’s torso? Aidan would have to ask, if he got the chance. Not many things left permanent scars on a shifter.

  Zane was on his back asleep, blanket kicked to the foot of the bed and the sheet tangled around his long, muscular legs. The sheet was pushed low on Zane’s lean hips, low enough that Aidan could see the top of his dark, springy pubic hair. Rigidly defined abs were bisected by a dark trail of hair that swirled around a tempting belly button. Aidan’s mouth watered as he imagined dipping his tongue into Zane’s navel, fucking it with that slick muscle like he wanted to do to his mate’s ass.

  And how pervy was he to be thinking about doing such things to a seriously injured man? Aidan’s disgust with himself extinguished the flames of desire, leaving only a smouldering need he couldn’t quite snuff out. He came closer, until the mattress brushed against his legs, eyes darting to the bandage then back to Zane’s face. Up close, the damage to his mate’s face looked even worse, and it made Aidan’s chest ache with the need to comfort the man.

  “Shit,” he muttered, reaching out to run a fingertip over the bruised skin under Zane’s eyes before he could stop himself. Slate grey eyes popped open and Zane jerked his head, nearly causing Aidan to poke him in the eye. Aidan started to snatch his hand back, then reconsidered. He met Zane’s gaze and held it while he gently traced the darkened skin under Zane’s eyes.

  Heat arced between them from the simple touch. Zane’s sharp inhalation went straight to Aidan’s dick, making it throb painfully with need. The fact that his mate didn’t pull away from the touch gave Aidan some hope—until he remembered the extent of Zane’s injuries. The knot on the man’s forehead alone had to have addled him.

  Aidan almost brought his hand back to his side, but Zane’s wary grey eyes suddenly weren’t wary any more. The sharp scent of his arousal filled the room, causing Aidan’s gut to clench with need. His cock jerked and he felt the warmth of precome seeping out and dampening his jeans. Aidan tore his gaze from his mate’s and settled it on the erection that tented the sheets, pulling the material up and baring Zane’s pubic hair to the base of his cock.

  Fuck. How was he supposed to control his own body’s demands when Zane’s need was battering at him, too?

  A strangled groan as the mattress shifted drew Aidan’s attention away from Zane’s cock. He looked back up the length of Zane’s body and noticed he was still brushing his fingers back and forth along his mate’s cheek. Aidan brought his errant hand back to his side, wondering if the rumble from Zane was in protest or relief.

  He realised that Zane was struggling unsuccessfully to push himself up into a sitting position.

  “Let me…” Aidan leant forward, reaching for Zane. He saw the bruising that covered the man’s right side and bit off a curse. Jesus, was there anywhere his mate wasn’t hurt? Aidan fumbled. He didn’t know where to grab on to Zane to help him up, not without hurting him, anyway. Zane was still trying to push himself up, panting with the effort, no doubt feeling the damage to his ribs and shoulder with each breath.

  “Zane. Stop.” Aidan couldn’t let him hurt himself any worse. He watched Zane stiffen, then take a slow, shallow breath and close his eyes as he nodded. “You want to sit up, I’ll help you. Otherwise, you’ll stay on your back.”

  Zane’s eyes flew open the same time his mouth did. “Fuck that—”

  The bed dipped and Zane found himself straddled by what had to be two hundred and fifty pounds of ripped muscles. One large hand was planted firmly on his chest, pressing him back against the mattress. Heat radiated outward from Aidan’s hand, slowly spreading throughout Zane’s body. All the pain that had been tormenting his nerve endings suddenly vanished under a feeling of security and desire. He held himself still, refusing to give himself over to either feeling. He deserved neither and Aidan deserved better.

  But the man was so damn close… Aidan Criswell wasn’t sitting on him, not exactly, but he had his knees planted on either side of Zane’s hips. The mattress dipped deeply under Aidan’s knees, bringing him down, or Zane up, he wasn’t sure which. All he did know was he suddenly felt like a sacrifice offered up to the man looking down at him.

  The close proximity of their cocks sent a shiver through him as Aidan leant over him. Two big hands slid under his back.

  “This isn’t going to feel good any way we do it.” Aidan’s lips quirked. “If you can, maybe hold onto my arms or shoulders.”

  Zane nodded, his throat too tight with desire and shame at his own past actions to try to speak. He couldn’t hold back a whimper as he reached for Aidan’s arms. The need to touch the man was overpowering. His palms tingled as his hands hovered over Aidan’s biceps.

  Zane gripped hard flesh and his moan mingled with Aidan’s. Caught in the rich brown gaze of the man half-lifting him, Zane didn’t realise the sheet had slid down, baring his cock, until the sensitive head brushed against Aidan’s denim clad balls. The jolt of lust that shot from his cock to his brain had him gasping and fighting to keep himself from thrusting his hips for a more intense touch.

  “Fuck, Zane,” Aidan’s eyes seemed to spark with heat, specks of amber suddenly appearing around the edges of his pupils. He held Zane suspended for a moment, gaze lowering to Zane’s parted lips.

  Zane felt the look like a velvet caress on his lips. He told himself he wasn’t going to do it, but his head tipped forward and he brushed his lips across Aidan’s, unable to resist.

  Aidan leant into the kiss with his whole body, pushing and pulling until Zane was propped up against the headboard. The hands that had braced his back were suddenly cupping his face as Aidan tilted his head and lapped at Zane’s bottom lip.

  “Let me in.”

  Zane heard Aidan’s voice in his head and didn’t have the will power to block the mind link any longer. He groaned as he parted his lips and opened for his mate. The taste of Aidan exploded on his tongue. Strong and smoky, it fuelled the fire pounding in Zane’s cock.

  Aidan’s tongue slicked over the roof of Zane’s mouth as he rocked his hips, rubbing his cock against Zane’s. The dual strokes broke down Zane’s reserves. He grabbed the firm globes of Aidan’s ass in his hands, squeezing hard enough to leave bruises. Pain shot up his arms, his bitten shoulder throbbing and his ribs aching as though he had just been kicked all over again.

  The pain brought him back to reality, overriding the pleasure as guilt swamped him. He jerked his hands back and tried to twist his head away only to have Aidan follow, capturing his mouth once again as Aidan’s hands grabbed his, stopping the panicked retreat. Zane swallowed the growl that flowed from Aidan’s mouth into his. The need to submit to his mate’s demand for obedience weighed down on him, nearly making him forget that he wasn’t deserving of this gift.

  Nearly, but not quite. Zane tried to free his hands, tugging against Aidan’s restraining grasp. The effort only succeeded in earning him another rumbling growl of displeasure and a sharp burning pain in his injured shoulder.

  Desperation seized him as Aidan thrust against him, the friction of denim scraping along his cock, causing his balls to draw tight. A tingling pressure in the base of his spine built and spread as Aidan continued the sharp, fast rhythm that brought their cocks together. Zane’s mind was a tangled knot of need and fear, his body screaming for release while a part of him wanted to fight what was happening.

  Zane felt a sharp nip to his lower lip then Aidan was sitting up, fully straddling Zane’s thighs. The sudden loss of the man’s mouth, of his closeness, left Zane feeling bereft in a way he didn’t understand. A whimper of protest left his lips, the sound both startling and embarrassing him. He wanted to turn away but found himself trapped by Aidan’s heated gaze.

  Aidan released Zane’s arms, but before Zane could do anything more than twitch his fingers, a big, rough hand gripped his cock. Aidan’s other hand splayed open low on Zane’s belly, pressing down to keep him from moving his hips.

  “Come.” The order was accompanied by a quick stroke of Aidan’s hand, and with that one move, Zane’s defences were devastated. He yelled as his orgasm ripped through him, pain and pleasure mingling together as his body jerked and tensed. The tangy scent of his come filled his senses as he felt the first pulsing release.

  “Fucking beautiful,” Aidan murmured as Zane felt warm, wet spunk hit his chest. The words seemed to spur him on, his cock ejaculating with a force he had never felt before.

  Leaning down over Zane once more, Aidan held him pinned with his molten stare. Zane watched as the man brought his come spattered hand to his mouth and licked it clean. He thought it was the most erotic thing he had ever seen in his life—until Aidan leant down and began licking the come off his chest.

  “Oh God,” Zane moaned, feeling completely undone as he watched. The feel of Aidan’s slick tongue on his skin had him imagining the man’s tongue on his prick. That image had him half hard in seconds. Aidan’s lips curved into a smile and he chuckled as he swiped his tongue over Zane’s skin one last time before sitting up.

  “I think that’s enough on your battered body for now.” Aidan studied him closely.

  Chapter Six

  Zane wasn’t as concerned about his battered body—it would heal relatively quickly, and if it left scars, they wouldn’t be the first. It was everything else, what had just happened, what he wanted to happen, and what he was afraid would happen that he couldn’t reconcile. Everything had just become infinitely more complicated, and Zane knew that, like everything else in his life, he would somehow screw this up in the worst way.

  “Stop.” The word invaded his mind and Zane started to block Aidan from using their link. Aidan grasped his head and forced Zane to look him in the eyes.

  “Don’t. Not ever again, Zane.” Aidan stared at him so intently, Zane worried the man could see everything he thought, all of the emotions swirling inside him. It made him feel vulnerable and exposed, and he didn’t like it one bit.

  “I’m not yours, Criswell. I’m not anyone’s anything, not any more.” Zane refused to look away from the anger he saw in Aidan’s eyes, that he could scent, sharp and bitter. Even as Aidan leant in so close that Zane’s vision blurred, he refused to avert his gaze and submit to the stronger alpha. The only alpha in this room now, he reminded himself.

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Zane. Very wrong.” Aidan’s mouth crashed down on his in a violent kiss. Zane felt the stinging bite to his lip, tasted the coppery tang of blood—and figured he must be bent since it turned him on.

  Emotions flooded his mind, hot, burning need, longing and regret, and anger. It was the last one that made him realise Aidan had pushed into his mind and opened his own as well. The man was angry with him for running, angrier still that Zane had risked his life taking on three men—and downright furious that Zane was trying to shut him out and thinking of running again. Under it all, he could feel the hurt Aidan was trying to push down, and the patience the man wanted to have with him but was afraid he wouldn’t be able to give.

  Zane tried to keep his own doubts and fears buried, but his mind felt as plundered as his mouth. Moaning in defeat, he thrust his tongue into Aidan’s mouth, tasting and exploring before biting at the man’s lower lip. A growl rumbled from Aidan’s mouth into Zane’s, and suddenly, Aidan broke the kiss, pushing himself up and easing off the bed.

  “What—” Zane snapped his mouth closed. He didn’t want to know what he’d done that had turned Aidan off. Zane sniffed and scented Aidan’s desire—and anger. A quick glance told Zane Aidan was fully erect. The wet spot where precome had seeped through the denim of Aidan’s jeans let Zane know that the other man had been into what they’d been doing.

  None of those things told him why Aidan had backed away as though his ass was on fire, which left Zane with the conclusion that while Aidan wanted his body, the Dux Ducis didn’t want anything to do with Zane on any other level. Zane wanted to close his eyes and escape into sleep, but he wouldn’t let himself run away again, not in any manner.

  He met Aidan’s gaze unflinchingly even as his stomach pitched.

  Aidan was furious with himself. Zane looked like death warmed over, and what had Aidan done? Jumped on the man and mauled him. Where was the restraint he normally had? Was the desire to touch one’s mate so strong he couldn’t stop himself?

  No, Aidan wouldn’t take such an out. What had happened was squarely on his shoulders. The fact that Zane had participated, and had an explosive orgasm, was probably due to the fact the man was too wounded and out of sorts from his head injury. And Aidan was scum to have taken advantage of that. He closed his eyes as he stood by the bed, trying to get his breathing and temper under control. He could feel Zane’s nervous gaze, could sense the man’s need and confusion, which made it that much more difficult for Aidan to sort out his own emotions. Everything he felt seemed to mix in with Zane’s feelings, and it was confusing as hell. Aidan shook his head sharply and opened his eyes, only to find Zane staring at him with a shuttered expression.