Aidan knew his mouth was hanging open. No one made fun of the Alpha Anax. And why in the hell had he ever thought Mika was a lucky man when his mate had such a mouth on him? For shit’s sake, Gabe had to have balls the size of—

  “I’m waiting, in all of my irreverent glory,” the man with the big mouth and bigger balls pointed out.

  “Jesus, don’t you have any respect—” Aidan bit out, unsurprised when he didn’t get to finish.

  “Uh, not one of you guys, remember?” Gabe tapped himself on the chest. “And definitely not one of your pack.” Gabe leant closer, his nose only inches from Aidan’s. “You want respect? Then earn it, because your fucking title doesn’t mean a thing to me—and neither does your brother’s.”

  That’s why he thought Mika was lucky—his mate had a spine of steel, balls to match, and a heart big enough to take in every stray he could find. And Aidan suddenly realised that, despite the questions Gabe had flung at him, the man had obviously decided to take in Zane as another of his rescues. Gabe was goading him, wanting to judge his reactions, trying to discern how he felt about Zane.

  Aidan had the man figured out now. He smiled and watched the wary look come over Gabe. That just made him smile bigger. Aidan reached out and poked Gabe on the chest and snickered when the man landed on his ass, hissing first—and wasn’t that interesting?—then scowling as though he intended to smack Aidan upside the head.

  “You don’t fool me, Gabriel Staley.” He laughed as Gabe’s scowl deepened. “The only answer you’re going to get is this—Zane is my mate, and I want him, and I think, despite being scared, he wants me, too.” At least, he prayed Zane did.

  Gabe didn’t smile, but at least he stopped scowling. He started to speak but Aidan cut him off, figuring turnabout was fair play.

  “Now let me ask you this—if you think my mate is, well, evil incarnate, then why are you out here riding my ass?” Aidan expected Gabe to hesitate, but the man surprised him again.

  “Because I don’t know that he is.” Gabe shrugged. “What he did was wrong, but Mika thinks Zane deserves a chance, and I trust Mika.” He pinned Aidan with that glittering stare again. “And I don’t trust you. I don’t even know if I like you.”

  “Fair enough.” Aidan’s lips twitched as he thought about the sound Gabe had made when he’d hit the ground a few minutes ago. “So, since you don’t trust me, I guess you’re not going to tell me why you made that hissing sound when your ass hit the ground?”

  Gabe turned red, the flush rising from his neck to his hairline in an instant. He shot Aidan a nasty look but couldn’t hold onto his mad. Instead, he ended up smirking, even snickering as he pushed himself up off the ground.

  “Maybe if you tell me what was going on in Zane’s room a few hours ago.”

  Aidan felt his own skin burn with embarrassment as Gabe dusted his hands off on his jeans and waited, tapping his foot in what Aidan decided had to be the most annoying manner. The man was demanding, and refused to kowtow to him and probably anyone else.

  “You know, you’d make a great alpha,” Aidan pointed out. That stopped the foot and drained all the colour from Gabe’s face as the man shook his head violently. “What?”

  “No way.” Gabe started backing away, looking at Aidan as though he were some psychotic axe murderer. “I don’t. I’m… That whole change-into-a-shapeshifter thing is just… Nuh uh.”

  The whole—oh. Gabe was referring to the only commonly known way to change a human into a shifter. Having one’s penis bitten mid-climax was definitely a deterrent for most humans—and shifters, since they had to be bitten by their human lover as well. Aidan watched Gabe backpedal and somehow managed to keep from laughing at him as he stuttered through a litany of excuses until Aidan finally decided to have mercy on him.

  “You know, you’re kind of cute when you’re a stuttering, panicking mess.” Aidan grinned as Gabe sputtered and tried to look indignant instead of pleased. “However, I think I will be the better man here and tell you there might be another way to make the transition.”

  Gabe stopped so suddenly he nearly fell backwards, stumbling a few steps and flailing his arms until he righted himself.

  Aidan had no doubt the man didn’t want to land on his sore ass again.

  “How? Because that whole getting bit on the dick thing, that’s just wrong, Aidan. Way too wrong.”

  Aidan nodded. “If you’re not into biting, or, say, mild to moderate BDSM…” Gabe’s face turned that brilliant shade of red again and Aidan thought, Ah-ha! Gotcha! Now he had a damned good idea of why the man didn’t want to sit.

  “Just quit poking at me and tell me already!” Gabe crossed his arms, and his foot started that tapping again.

  Aidan pushed himself up and headed out of the kennels, smiling as Gabe turned and walked by his side. “I have to do some checking first, Gabe—and no, I’m not messing with you on this. It’s just something I remember hearing rumours about years ago. Let me research it and maybe talk to Marcus—the Grand Poobah, if you will—and see what we can find out, okay?”

  Gabe looked at him while they made their way to the house, nodding once they reached the back porch. “All right, but patience isn’t my virtue, and this doesn’t mean I trust you or like you.” He reached over and smacked Aidan on the shoulder. “But I might consider it, if you find a way around the biting thing.”

  “That’s incentive enough, then. If I can’t impress you—and Mika—with my charm and wit, maybe I can bribe you both with a less painful way for you to be turned.”

  Gabe snorted at that and pulled the door open, muttering as Aidan walked by. “You sure aren’t going to impress me with your humility.”

  Aidan laughed and winked at him, then winked at Mika as well as the man looked at him suspiciously. He pointed at Gabe while looking at Mika.

  “He started it.” Then he turned and went to check on his mate.

  “Did not!” Gabe yelled back. “And don’t go doing…anything in there! I’ll be bringing a breakfast tray and don’t want my eyeballs scorched!”

  Aidan turned back around. “I can take it—“

  “Oh, I don’t think so, Double D.” Gabe planted his hands on his hips, obviously pleased with himself, and even Mika’s lips curled up in a smile.

  “Double D?” Aidan used his haughtiest tone. He would not be reduced to some…pornographic actress’s bra size!

  Gabe nodded. “Yeah, you know, it stands for—”

  “I know what it better stand for.” Aidan toyed with threatening to rescind his earlier offer of help to the evil man, not that he’d actually follow through on the threat. He took a good, long look and realised Gabe was just trying to piss him off. He didn’t know why, but he was sure Mika’s devious mate had a reason. Probably a very sound reason, which was scary as hell and not one Aidan cared to discover at this moment…maybe not at any moment.

  He gave a slight bow in Gabe’s direction. “Whatever you want to call me, it’s fine with me.” Aidan waited until he had turned and headed towards his mate before he let himself smile.

  That shocked look on Gabe’s face, and the utter failure of the man to retaliate had been worth the humiliation of being called Double D. Aidan knew he’d better enjoy it while he could. He was fairly certain that there weren’t too many times when Mika’s mate was shocked speechless.

  Aidan paused outside the bedroom door and took a moment to make sure his emotions, as well as his body, was under control. When he was as sure as he could be that it was safe, Aidan opened the door, surprised to find his mate sitting up and watching him with troubled grey eyes.

  Aidan closed the door and leant back against it, tucking his hands behind his lower back and regarding Zane warily. The bump on his head had gone down considerably, and the bruising was already beginning to fade.

  “How do you feel?”

  Zane tipped his head to the side and studied him for so long Aidan didn’t think the man was going to answer—and was startled when he finally did.

  “Like shit, which is better than cold shit, which was what I felt like yesterday.” Zane glanced down and sighed. He pushed himself up, sitting straighter, then looked back at Aidan. “We need to talk.”

  “Yeah, after Gabe brings breakfast.” Aidan pushed off the door and walked over to the chair beside the bed. “Will you let me check your shoulder?” It was a good excuse to touch Zane, but also a necessity. Aidan wanted to make sure the wound was healing properly.

  Zane reached up and started picking at the tape that held the bandage on. “If you want to.” He managed to work a piece of the tape free. “It will save Mika from having to do it again—and Gabe from turning green.” Zane jerked the tape and grunted as it was ripped from his skin.

  Aidan grabbed the loose end of the bandage and looked at Zane. “Are you an all-at-once person, or would you rather I take the tape off one side at a time?”

  “All at… shit!” Zane’s eyes opened wide as Aidan pulled the bandage off quickly. “Damn! How much tape did Mika use?”

  “No more than I had to,” Mika answered as he held the door open for Gabe. “Just be glad Gabe found the medical tape. I was going to use duct tape.”

  Aidan dropped the bandage into the trash can and glared at Mika when Zane shuddered. Needing to touch his mate, Aidan sat on the edge of the bed facing Zane. He leant in and looked at the wound, carefully running his fingers around the edges of the bite.

  “It’s healing nicely; shouldn’t be more than a few days until it’s healed over.” Unable to stop himself, he traced the slight bump on his mate’s forehead, trailing a fingertip down to the bruising under each of his warm, grey eyes. “And the bruising is already fading here…” Aidan glanced at Zane’s bruised ribs. “And here, though I imagine you’re still sore as hell.” He looked at Zane for confirmation.

  “Not as bad as you might think.”

  Zane’s eyes reminded Aidan of molten silver. He couldn’t look away from the need he thought he saw in his mate’s unwavering gaze. Aidan felt his heart rate increase, felt the answering rush of blood to his cock. Zane’s nostrils flared and his pupils dilated as the scent of Aidan’s arousal reached him.

  Gabe tapped his foot, breakfast tray balanced on one hand. “You know, you two might want to eat before going at it like bunnies.” Neither Aidan or Zane acknowledged him. “Hey, you two—“

  “Just set the tray down, babe.” Mika reached around Gabe and took the tray. He set it on the desk then took Gabe by the elbow, leading him back out of the room.

  Gabe glanced over his shoulder at Aidan and Zane, then at Mika, a worried look in his eyes. “Are you sure we should leave them?”

  Mika pulled Gabe through the doorway and shut the door. “That was mutual lust in there, Gabe. Let’s leave them alone for a bit.”

  “But what if—” Gabe was reaching for the door again.

  Mika grabbed his mate and pulled him away from the door. “But what if I give you something else to think about?” He reached down and slapped Gabe’s ass, leering at his mate when Gabe moaned and his bright green eyes darkened with desire.

  “I think they’re both big boys,” Gabe conceded, grabbing Mika’s hand and leading him to their room.

  Chapter Eight

  Zane could feel the need roiling in Aidan. It matched the lust burning in his own veins, pulsing in his cock.

  “My first crush was on Mika.” He watched the effect his words had on his mate, felt the jealousy and surprise that flared up in the man.

  Aidan straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. “But you never did anything about it?”

  “No, nothing that would make anyone think I was gay.” Zane fingered the edge of the sheet nervously. “My uncle would have killed me, literally. So I ignored it and found, in time, that I could, ah, compensate to a point with females, even if it wasn’t particularly fulfilling. It was necessary.” He shrugged, forgetting about the bite and hissed when pain shot through his shoulder.

  Aidan frowned, his brows knitting together. “What do you mean, he would have killed you?”

  “He knew Mika was gay. Mika didn’t advertise it, but he didn’t hide it, either.” Zane closed his eyes and leant his head back, remembering how much he envied Mika his freedom. “His parents were pretty influential in the pack, so no one raised much of a fuss about it. But once they disappeared, people started talking. Someone stirred them up.” And Zane knew who it was, though he had no proof. “I was alpha by then, but only a figurehead. My uncle John had taken over as alpha when my father died.” Zane opened his eyes and regarded Aidan solemnly.

  “When did your father die, Zane?” Aidan stood and took two steps to the chair and sat. Zane felt the loss of the man’s body heat acutely. Had he already said enough to discourage Aidan from wanting him as a mate?

  Aidan laughed softly and shook his head. “No, but the need to touch you is too distracting when I’m that close.”

  Zane tensed, wondering if he would ever get used to someone else knowing what he was feeling—or if he’d ever need to. He forced himself to relax and remember what Aidan had asked. His father…

  “I was four.” But it seemed like yesterday, rather than twenty-three years ago. “He…” Zane swallowed, trying to work the words past the tightness in his throat. “Uncle John said my father killed himself; guilt over my mother’s death, supposedly.” Zane shook his head and kept his gaze averted. “Maybe, I don’t know. Mom was found in the dry riverbed; she’d fallen several hundred feet to her death. I don’t,” his breath was shaky as he tried to compose his thoughts, “I don’t remember her, not really. I wish I did.”

  Aidan cursed and came back to sit beside Zane. He placed his larger hand over Zane’s, stilling it from plucking at a loose thread on the sheet. He tipped Zane’s head up with his other hand and waited until Zane met his penetrating stare.

  “That is a terrible thing for a small child to experience, losing first your mother, then your father.” He squeezed Zane’s hand. “Who decided the cause of both deaths?”

  Zane knew who he thought had decided, but he had been too young when his parents died and didn’t know for certain. But he did know something. “He found them both. Uncle John.” He watched Aidan tense, felt the suspicion that matched Zane’s own.

  Aidan arched his brows. “And no one thought that was suspicious?”

  “I doubt anyone would have spoken up if they did.” Though surely he wasn’t the only one who had wondered? Zane shrugged and pulled his hand from Aidan’s. A low growl from the man had the hairs on the back of Zane’s neck standing up. “I need a drink,” Zane offered by way of explanation.

  A glass of orange juice was placed in his hand almost immediately. Zane closed his eyes as he let the tangy citrus drink sooth his parched throat. He drained the glass and was in the process of setting it on the nightstand when Aidan took the glass and set it on the breakfast tray instead.

  Aidan turned and hesitated. “Do you need anything else?”

  Zane considered the question. “That depends. How long are we going to be talking?”

  “Maybe you should eat,” Aidan suggested. He twisted around and grabbed the tray, setting it on the bed beside Zane.

  “That isn’t a good sign.” Zane couldn’t help but share his somewhat amused thought.

  Aidan chuckled and Zane began eating. He hadn’t realised he was hungry until the first bite was in his mouth. Talking about his past, and his uncle, had tied his stomach in knots.

  He ate quickly, not tasting anything—not that he would tell Gabe that. Zane valued his balls too much to say something so foolish. The food looked good, however. Gabe had made pancakes, sausage, and a half-dozen eggs, sunny side up. He glanced over at Aidan, noting the plate piled high with food balanced on Aidan’s knees. Gabe must have been a busy man this morning. He’d fixed enough food to feed four or five men rather than just himself and Aidan.

  Zane found himself distracted by the strong line of Aidan’s jaw, the flex of muscle under the skin as he chewed. His cock twitched when Aidan swallowed, the bobbling of his Adam’s apple bringing Zane’s erection from semi-hard to full and aching with need.

  “Zane, you can’t look at me like that when you’re still injured.” Aidan set his plate on the floor and leant forward, forearms resting on his knees. Zane looked at the man’s mouth, discounting the words that were coming out of it. Aidan had nice, full lips that made Zane think about what it would feel like to have those lips wrapped around his prick. He could imagine the muscles in Aidan’s jaws contracting as the man sucked his cock, his sharp cheekbones protruding over hollowed out cheeks… He groaned and met Aidan’s searing gaze.

  “We could—” It was all Zane got out before Aidan flew into action.

  Aidan rose and reached for Zane’s tray, lifting it and setting it on the floor with a dish-rattling thud. He grabbed the sheet and tore it from Zane’s body with a sharp tug, tossing the light material off the foot of the bed.

  Zane was torn between trying to hide his various parts or spreading out like a slut. The heat in Aidan’s dark brown eyes sent an answering swirl of heat to Zane’s balls and he found his legs opening, not timidly, either. The speed with which he splayed his legs wide would have embarrassed him had it not ratcheted up the lust he could feel in Aidan.

  There was a rush of emotion and need in Zane, feelings too long denied and suppressed. I’m not the alpha of Gila any more—not even a member of the pack. The realisation flooded his mind and he shared it with Aidan. The things he had done, had agreed to do despite his own sense of right and wrong still burdened Zane. But right now, at this moment, all he wanted was what he had denied himself through fear and manipulation for years.

  “Please, Aidan.” Zane shifted his legs restlessly, unsure of exactly what it was that he wanted.

  Aidan’s hands trembled as he reached for the hem of his shirt. He studied Zane, his breath hitching when Zane reached for his own cock and started stroking. Aidan grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and started to lift it from his body, hesitating as doubt flickered in his eyes.