“Guilty,” Remus replied. “But you should know that about me already.”

  “I do,” Marco said and then his hand slipped between Remus’s legs, grabbing his cock from behind. Remus pressed his hands into the wall, groaning as his mate used the soapy lather to stroke him. Who knew a shower could be this erotic?

  Remus spread his legs wider, jerking his body into the hand that was wrapped so deliciously around his cock. He damn near shouted when Marco released him. But he wasn’t without for long. Marco circled around him, his slippery hands sliding up Remus’s chest.

  “Fuck me.”

  Remus grabbed his mate, pushing him under the spray of water as he captured his lips, his hand skimming back until his fingers were playing at Marco’s hole. He teased the muscle, pressing, but not entering.

  “And you still know how to tease a guy.” Marco pushed his ass back, chasing Remus’s finger as he whimpered.

  Remus finally had mercy on his mate, slipping two fingers inside his hot, tight body. His cock thickened even further as his fingers plunged deep, his lips ghosting over Marco’s jaw. He wanted to eat the small man up. Marco was everything Remus could ever want in a mate. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t seen it sooner.

  “R–Remus, please.”

  Pulling Marco up, his mate wrapped his legs around Remus’s waist. It wasn’t easy. His mate was sliding all over him, but Remus managed to keep a steady hand on him as he positioned his cock and drove deep.

  Marco’s head fell back, his lips parting, and a gasp sounding in the stall as Remus gritted his teeth at the pleasure. He buried his face into Marco’s wet hair, relishing the sounds his mate was making as he fucked him into the wall.

  Marco wailed as Remus’s angle altered and he nailed his mate’s sweet spot again and again. The emotions that were flooding through Remus were almost too much. Not only had he nearly lost this man, but Marco had almost crawled into a shell because of his scars. The fighting in Washington hadn’t been a picnic either. Marco had killed a man. Remus knew that had to have changed the leopard in some form.

  Yet his best friend was still here, still in his arms, begging Remus to fuck him harder. Remus swore to himself that he was going to give the man the best life possible. He deserved nothing less.

  Remus’s canines elongated and he sank them into Marco’s shoulder, claiming his mate once more. Marco shouted as his cock exploded between them. Remus wasn’t far behind the man. He licked the wound, holding his mate just a little while longer before pulling his cock free and lowering him to his feet.

  They washed each other, joked, played, and Remus knew in his heart that not only did he have a mate, but a best friend. There was no better combination.

  “I feel funny,” Marco said as he rinsed off. “A little dizzy.”

  So did Remus. He had thought the feeling was from the sex they had just had, but as he walked out of the shower, he had to grab the wall in order not to fall down. He shook his head, trying to clear it…and then he shifted.

  “Remus!” Marco shouted right before he dropped to the floor, writhing around. Remus nuzzled his mate’s body, wishing he knew what was happening to Marco, and knowing what was going on in the back of his mind.

  Apparently the injection Jayson had given both of them was not permanent. Remus had hoped in the back of his mind that was the case since he had partially shifted, but he hadn’t wanted to set him or Marco up for disappointment if it had never happened.

  God, he wished the smug bastard was alive for just a second so he could rub the fact that they had gained their cats back in the man’s face. Jayson evil scheme had failed in the end and Remus inwardly shouted in triumph.

  After a moment of agonizing screams, Marco shifted into his leopard. Remus licked him, inwardly smiling.

  Jayson hadn’t won after all.

  Rick stood in the Great Oak Forest, staring down at the gravesite.

  “Are you sure he can’t get out?”

  Salvador splayed his hands as he shrugged. “It would have been better if he had been buried on holy ground. But finding someone to help me proved a problem. I remember Omar telling me of this wondrous place and thought it perfect. He said your ancestors’ spirits still ran here.”

  Rick lifted his head, gazing over the forest as he felt the light breeze skim across his face. He was home, finally. Standing here, in his favorite place, to run seemed like he was standing in a dream.

  “They do but I don’t think that will be enough to keep Kraven under lock and key.”

  Salvador moved closer, turning to face Rick. “Guardians must be appointed, Enrique. You must choose brave men to watch over this grave and ensure Kraven never escapes. If he does, the Soul Reapers will come back from the shadows and the vampire will bring hell to earth.”

  Scratching at the stubble on his jaw, Rick nodded. “I’ll take care of that. I know the perfect changelings to keep watch over this gravesite.” Rick was going to appoint Miguel head guardian. The werewolf could pick his team. The man—along with Benito—had proven his worth. Miguel not only possessed the qualities of a future alpha leader, but was more levelheaded than Benito. Not to slight Benito in any way, though. The man had proven himself as well. But he still had the qualities of a beta, more than an alpha.

  Rick knew when it was time to step down, Miguel would take up the mantle of leadership. He was grooming the werewolf for the position. His arm was still somewhat immobile, but Miguel was gaining use back slowly.

  “I must go,” Salvador said, breaking into Rick’s deep thought. “My mates await me.”

  “I’m going to miss you guys.”

  “Brazil is not that far…for me.” Salvador winked. “We shall visit from time to time. But it is my home and where I shall take my mates to live. Besides, my coven is becoming restless. They miss the rainforest.”

  Rick stuck his hand out, giving Salvador’s a firm shake. Oh, what the hell. Rick pulled the ancient vampire into a man hug before releasing him. “Take care.”

  Salvador gave a low a sweeping bow. “The same for you, Enrique Marcelo.” And then he was gone. Rick glanced at the grave once more, marked by only a rock in the shape of a cross.

  Rick strode to his car, smiling as he stared at his baby. He had his mustang back, restored, and looking simply gorgeous as it gleamed.

  The moonlight shone off of the polished chrome, making it look like a heavenly angel.

  Yeah, he was obsessed with his car. Big deal.

  As he slid into the leather seat, Rick thought about the laws that had been laid down, the months of work he and the others had put in to stop the war, and how life was ever so slowly returning to normal, even if it wasn’t how it used to be.

  Sasha was back with his leap, taking Nate, Selene, and the kids with him. Miguel and Benito were now his top enforcers, and Rick couldn’t ask for two better candidates.

  Rick had heard Benito on the phone with the wererabbit, talking softly and knew those two would eventually meet up again. Benito was too smitten with the guy—whether he would admit it or not. Rick bet his bottom dollar that, in the end, they were going to be mated.

  He could just feel it in his bones.

  Brooke, Deluca, and Willow had settled in New Orleans, Mason and Ian going with them. The land that Garrett had owned was given to the displaced coyotes that used to belong to his pack. Edward had handed his pack over to his pack member, Frisk, and was now residing in Shelton with Isabelle and EJ.

  Rick couldn’t be happier.

  Dorian’s parents decided to stay in Shelton. Although Lillian hated for Ian to move away, she understood his need to be away from his family where his mate could help him heal.

  Bryson had finally settled in, taking over as pack healer. The man was indispensable.

  Corporate had contacted Rick and given him his job back as district manager, although he suspected President Owen had something to do with that. Rick had also found out that it was Owen’s own nephew who had outed their species. The lion, sadly, had been killed by werehynenas when they found him hiding out.

  O’Hanlon was in prison where Rick hoped the son of a bitch rotted.

  The Breed Hunters no longer drove around in their trucks hunting down changelings—at least not out in the open. Let Rick see one of them and he was going to remove their head from their shoulders.

  The mercenaries disbanded when the private corporations withdrew their funding. The president had given Rick full disclosure on what to do with any changeling he found had participated in the killing of their own race.

  And Judge Tormel. Rick grinned to himself. He had found the weasel back at work, ruling over his courtroom. The man felt he was under immunity since he held such a high position. Rick had taken pleasure in proving the man wrong. He had given the man a death sentence for what he had done to the juveniles.

  Yet, for Rick, that hadn’t been a harsh enough punishment.

  “Uncle Rick!” Samuel and Hunter shouted when Rick walked through the door of his home. God, it felt good to be back here. There had been a lot of cleaning to do, the cops who had searched his place had wrecked it, but all was back in order.

  “I thought Uncle Edward picked you brats up already,” he said as the two toddlers jumped at him. Rick chuckled, falling on his ass as Samuel tried to bite his fingers, Hunter nipping at his arm.

  “Okay, boys,” Dorian said as he walked into the living room. “Your uncle is here. Scat.”

  Rick rolled to his stomach, smiling as he watched the two race for the door. Edward appeared, grabbing their bags from the couch.

  “Isabelle said to remind you guys to be over for dinner on Sunday.

  I’ll return these two troublemakers then.”

  “Tell her we’ll be leaving town as soon as the boys are in the car,” Rick teased, knowing damn well he wasn’t going anywhere. He loved his small family and couldn’t be happier to spend all his time at home.

  Edward narrowed his eyes at Rick. “Don’t make me track you down.”

  “We’ll be there,” Dorian said. “And thanks for taking them for the weekend.”

  Edward glanced down at Hunter and Samuel, who were racing out the door. Rick saw the shine of happiness in the man’s eyes. “That’s what family is for.”

  Dorian closed the door behind Edward, turning to smile at Rick.

  “Alone at last.”

  Rick lay on the floor, his arms tucked under his head as he gazed at the man who meant more to him than his own life. “Come here, gatito.”

  Dorian crossed his arms over his chest, grinning. “I thought you wanted to relax on the back deck with a cup of coffee?”

  “Afterward.” Rick kicked his shoes off, shoved his pants down his legs, and yanked his shirt over his head. “But first you are going to ride me.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, Mr. Marcelo. We’re parents now. I thought parents didn’t have sex.”

  “Then I’m about to blow that theory out of the water. Now get your ass over here and sit on my cock.”

  Dorian began to disrobe, his Peruvian-brown eyes sparkling. “I love it when you act like a prick.”

  The man was seriously deranged. His eyes followed every move Dorian made until his mate was stretched out beside him on the hardwood floor. Rick grabbed the man, pulling him until Dorian was straddling his lap. “Much better.”

  “Sit on my cock, baby,” Rick said as he gripped his mate’s sides and lifted Dorian’s hips up into the air. “Ride me.”

  Dorian’s eyes sparkled like twin diamonds as he sat up, his hands resting on Rick’s chest.

  “You are so fucking sexy, gatito,” Rick whispered as he watched Dorian slowly lower himself down onto Rick’s cock. He watched where their bodies met, his breathing growing more rapid with each passing second. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. Watching Dorian sink down onto his cock was erotic as hell. “Just look at you,” he murmured. “Your ass was made for my cock.”

  “You say the sweetest thing,” Dorian groaned as his head fell back on his shoulders, his eyes fluttering closed.

  Rick’s eyes slowly moved up Dorian’s body, past the man’s flat abdomen to his well-defined stomach and then his lightly muscled chest. He gloried at the way Dorian was built. The man wasn’t a skinny guy with a narrow body and no definition. No, his mate was cut, chiseled, and was erotic as hell to look at. The man was well tanned all over, and Rick’s favorite spot on his mate’s body, aside from his ass, was the well-defined V that started on either side of the man’s stomach and ran down between his legs.

  Rick’s eyes ran back up Dorian’s body to the brown-hued nipples on each side of his mate’s chest and knew they were a work of art.

  They were even more beautiful after Rick reached up and tweaked them between his fingers. They pebbled and turned white before fading to pink and then back to their golden tanned color. Perfect. But the sweet hiss that fell from his werewolf’s lips was even better.

  “You like when I do that, don’t you?” Rick asked as he tweaked the little nubs again.

  Dorian nodded rapidly, his eyes taking on a dazed hue, darkening from light brown to a café noir. It amazed Rick that he could do that to another being, that he could bring this much pleasure to a man he had fallen deeply in love with. He never wanted that sensual rapture to leave his mate’s face.

  Rick lay there for a second, feeling his heart expand and encompass the man straddling him. There were so many times he had nearly lost Dorian. It made Rick’s heart turn to ice even thinking about how the outcome could have been so different for him and his mate. They had gone against an entire race, and even their own to fight for a chance to live their lives in peace, and had won.

  But that didn’t stop Rick from being thankful every fucking day that he still had Dorian at his side.

  Dorian licked his lips, his glazed eyes lowering down toward Rick. “I love the way your cock feels inside of me.”

  “And I love how you look sitting on top of me.” He wrapped his hand around the back of Dorian’s neck and pulled him down until their noses almost touched. He moved his hand around until he could cup the side of Dorian’s face, rubbing his thumb along the soft skin of his mate’s cheek.

  “Until the very end.”

  Dorian’s eyes sparkled with little chips of molten brown. He smiled. “The very end,” Dorian whispered. “I love you, Rick.”

  “I love you, too, gatito,” Rick groaned as he grabbed Dorian’s hips and started thrusting upward, driving his cock in and out of his mate’s tight ass. He dug the heels of his feet into the floor and met Dorian’s rapid movements every time the man came down and impaled himself on his cock. He could feel the skin around his mate’s entrance expanding, giving as Rick’s cock drove inside his mate’s body over and over again.

  “Fuck, gatito, how do you—” Rick groaned and snapped his mouth closed when Dorian started some sort of circular motion with his hips, gyrating them and driving Rick’s cock further into his mate’s body. Gods, how did he know how to do that? It was driving Rick crazy. Dorian seemed to squeeze his inner muscles around Rick’s cock at the same time he dropped down onto him.

  Dorian fell forward, swiveling his hips in a quick motion as he bowed his back, staring right into Rick’s eyes. “Are you going to bite me, Rick?”

  Rick stared up at his mate, unsure of how comfortable he felt at the wicked grin on his mate’s face. Dorian was kind of scary when he seemed that happy during sex.

  Dorian wiggled his dark-brown brows. “Well, Mr. Marcelo, are you?”

  He growled, flipping Dorian over onto his back. What madness had control of him, Rick would never know. He grabbed a handful of Dorian’s hair with one hand and hiked the man’s leg up to his chest with the other. He had Dorian twisted into a pretzel. His mate’s knees were touching his ears as Rick slammed his cock into his mate’s giving ass. Rick pressed both hands into the floor on either side of Dorian’s head, his mate’s feet at his ears. Gods, he was a debauched mess, and Rick was turned on even more. The man was bent in half and smiling up at him.

  Smiling!

  “Mine!” he growled right before he struck, sinking his teeth into the soft flesh between Dorian’s shoulder and his neck. The sweet taste of his mate’s life-giving blood ripped the last of Rick’s control away from him.

  He threw his head back as his loud roar filled the room, shaking the windows as his release took hold of him and tossed him over the edge into bliss. Rick heard his own cry of release echoed in his mate’s soft cry.

  Rick pounded into Dorian’s pulsing ass, licking the wound closed as the last of his seed emptied from his tight balls. His arms quivered as sweat dripped from his face. His mate’s stomach was covered with his own cum as Dorian lay there jerking slightly, satiation riding his features hard.

  Rick had enough of a brain cell to roll to the side when he dropped down onto the floor, taking Dorian with him. Rick wrapped his arms around Dorian as the man snuggled into his chest. He could hear a happy little sound come from his mate, and he couldn’t help but smile.

  He was finally home, his mate in his arms, and the war was over.

  “Rick?”

  “Yeah, gatito?” Rick brushed his hand over Dorian’s hair, inhaling the sweaty and beautiful scent of his mate.

  “Once I get back to work, I so want a raise.”

  Rick chuckled. “Just as soon as you hand in your updated résumé.

  I’m pretty sure corporate will love your added skills.”

  The End

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.

  You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.

  For all titles by Lynn Hagen, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/lynn-hagen

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

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