Reese had been right. Diablo had known Reese was right. Mates were a shelter in the storm, a security blanket when everything else devolved into chaos.

  Reese molded his body to Diablo’s, sliding his arms around Diablo’s waist.

  Diablo moved Reese around until his back pressed firmly into Diablo’s chest. This settled Reese’s ass right over his cock.

  Feeling skin on skin heightened Diablo’s arousal. His cock was still fully erect, pressing into Reese’s back. He smoothed his hand down Reese’s abdomen, feeling the hard ripples of muscles.

  Reese’s breath hitched, but he lay still, as if waiting to see what Diablo was going to do next. He ran his hands over Reese’s taut thighs and then raked his nails over smooth and creamy skin.

  With curling fingers and gentle strokes, Diablo slowly caressed his mate’s shaft, which had already come back to life. The strokes were unhurried, leisurely, and pulled noises from Reese’s throat that told Diablo his mate was enjoying his caresses.

  Diablo leaned down and nibbled at the side of Reese’s neck, his fingers sliding over the bulbous head of Reese’s cock, the hardened shaft pulsing in his hand. He could feel the raised veins, the silkiness of skin, the wet pre-cum dripping from the tiny slit.

  The scents in the air were feeding the need in Diablo as he stroked harder, biting slightly into Reese’s neck. Not enough to break skin, but enough to send his mate over the edge. Reese’s back bowed outward as his head pushed against Diablo’s shoulder, his cries sensual and low.

  “Give it to me, sweetheart. Give me all of you.”

  Reese shuddered and then collapsed against Diablo, his breathing labored.

  He gave a light bite to Reese’s ear and whispered softly, “Now I’m going to claim you.”

  Diablo grabbed Reese’s hips and pushed his mate forward until Reese was on all fours. He bent down, licking a long path from tailbone to sac, circling his tongue around Reese’s tight hole. He bit, nipped, sucked, and licked until Reese was begging to be taken.

  After lubing his fingers, Diablo slid one inside Reese’s body and then teased his mate with his mouth once again. Diablo let go of all his worries, of the fears that dwelled deep inside of him, and became blind with sensations, letting himself drown in them. It was just him and Reese, the world no longer existing. Another finger slipped into his mate, and then Reese began to rock back, pressing his backside into Diablo’s mouth and hand.

  The rhythm began to pick up, Diablo using his fingers to fuck Reese the same way he planned on using his cock. Once a third finger fit into his mate, Diablo pulled his hand free and then used the lube to coat his cock. He settled behind Reese on his knees, using one hand to steady his mate as he used the other to guide his erection to Reese’s ass.

  “Yes,” Reese cried with pleasure as Diablo inched his shaft into his mate’s searing heat and slick tightness.

  Diablo slammed his eyes closed, staving off his orgasm as Reese’s warm body wrapped around his cock. He was on the very edge, ready to tip over. The sensation of being with Reese was bringing him close to orgasm too quickly. Diablo had waited years for this, to show the wolf shifter just what he meant to him.

  He blew out a long breath and then slowly, oh so slowly, pulled back. Reese whimpered. Diablo knew his mate wanted him to speed things up, to take him quickly, but Diablo wanted this to last for as long as he could hold out. It was his only sanctuary in this situation. The only time when he could truly relax.

  “So tight, Reese. So damn tight.” Diablo moved a little faster but not too much. He was fighting to take his time, fighting not to take Reese the way he’d taken past lovers—rough, fast, and sometimes brutally. This morning all Diablo wanted was to lose himself in Reese, to take it slow, and feel as though he wasn’t falling apart.

  He shoved his cock deeper inside Reese, shuddering when his mate writhed and called out his name. The need in Reese’s voice caressed Diablo like a silken hand, touching him in places that had lived only in darkness.

  His hands slid up Reese’s sweat-soaked back, and then his fingers lingered at the nape of his mate’s neck. He fisted a handful of hair and pulled, hearing Reese’s pleasured whimpers. “That’s right, baby. Tell me how much you like this.”

  “More, Diablo…” Reese panted. “Please, harder.”

  Diablo pulled at the strands as he punched his hips and slammed his cock home. They both cried out this time. Their bodies were as close as they could get, yet Diablo didn’t feel like they were close enough. He wanted to be inside Reese, all the way, under his skin, as one entity.

  Their connection was definitely getting stronger.

  Diablo used his free hand to fist some more hair and then pulled enough that his fingernails raked over his mate’s scalp.

  Reese gasped and groaned.

  Diablo’s effortless thrusting picked up as his cock pistoned in and out of his mate. Reese’s shudders increased as his body shivered underneath Diablo.

  His need was reaching a pinnacle, but Diablo fought his release. He didn’t want this moment to end…ever. If only he could stay inside Reese until this was all over, or even longer after that. Diablo clutched desperately to Reese’s hair, the heat of his mate’s ass bringing him to the brink of the abyss.

  He was teetering, but Diablo wasn’t ready to fall over.

  Releasing Reese’s hair, Diablo blanketed his mate’s body with his, nipping at Reese’s shoulder. Reese bucked underneath him, his head falling forward as his ass jutted higher. Strange little noises were falling from Reese’s lips, his slick back pressing into Diablo’s chest.

  He pushed Reese’s shoulders to the bed, making the man submit, needing Reese to submit. His mate went without complaint, his shoulders touching the mattress as Diablo thrust into Reese’s ass over and over again.

  His tender needs had turned aggressive whether he wanted them to or not. Diablo was losing himself, the animals inside of him demanding that Diablo claim what was rightfully his.

  He damn near crawled on top of his mate as he pounded into giving flesh, feeling his cock swell even further as his jaws locked into place, keeping Reese pinned down.

  “Diablo!” Reese cried out, his tight channel pulsing, milking Diablo’s cock.

  Diablo sank his canines into Reese’s tender flesh. He felt their bond instantly snapping into place as their hearts synchronized. It was as if Reese was deep inside of him, a part of him, and Diablo wondered if his mate would come to his senses later and regret what they’d done.

  Diablo finally released his mate’s shoulder and howled out his release, his hands landing on Reese’s hips to keep him steady as he forced his dick deeper, embedding himself as he rode his orgasm until there was nothing left in him to spill. Diablo convulsed one last time before pulling free and going down hard onto the bed. Reese collapsed beside him, a sweet little murmur leaving his lips.

  Diablo forced his eyes open as he stared into dark eyes watching him. They lay there, eyes locked on one another, Diablo unable to move from the sheer exhaustion of what they had just done.

  Reese lifted his hand and reached over to Diablo, tracing his eyebrows. “We’re in this together.”

  Diablo tilted his head and kissed Reese’s fingers. They both jumped when Reese’s cell phone went off.

  Diablo cursed, hating that this intimate moment had been spoiled. Rolling from the bed, Reese snatched up his phone. “What?” He cleared his throat. “No, I’ll be reopened tomorrow.” He paused. “I swear Diablo is fine, Luke. He just got a lot of physical activity and is resting.”

  Diablo held back his chuckle. If Luke only knew how true that was.

  “I promise to call you if anything changes. Okay, bye.” Reese tossed his phone on the nightstand and lay back down. “You’re going to have to tell Luke. He cares about you, Diablo.”

  Diablo knew sooner rather than later he would have to confess to his deception. Right now he just wanted to enjoy his time with his mate. He brushed his hand over Reese’s back as his mate curled into him. “Just give me time with you before the world crashes back in.”

  “I wasn’t talking about right now.” Reese yawned. “Right now I’m going back to sleep. Then I’m going to get up and cook some breakfast.”

  It hadn’t dawned on Diablo what time it was. He hadn’t been paying attention to how dark it was still outside. When he glanced at the beside clock, he saw it was only seven in the morning. “Definitely more sleep.”

  Reese might not be acting as if he regretted their mating, but in the back of Diablo’s mind, he was scared shitless that he’d just ruined the guy’s life.

  * * * *

  Reese and Diablo were downstairs checking on the animals housed in the back. One of the cats that Reese had spayed was meowing like crazy, trying desperately to get the cone off her head.

  “Now, now. You know you have to let your incision heal, Marbles.” Reese lifted her out of the cage and checked the incision sight. “You’re healing nicely.”

  Diablo had been making sure the animals had food and water and had shocked Reese by cleaning out some of the cages, grumbling something about no one living in filth. Reese’s heart melted at how hard Diablo worked and how friendly he’d been with the dogs.

  Rosco, an old mixed breed who had to be housed because of an operation to repair his hip, hobbled toward the front of his cage, whining. Diablo sat, cross-legged, and talked softly to the dog. He stuck his fingers through the cage and scratched Rosco under his chin.

  His mate might be part hellhound, but the gentle way he bonded with Rosco made Reese’s heart swell. Diablo was all gruff alpha male, large in more than just his height, yet he sat there talking to the dog as if they’d been friends for years.

  Then Diablo looked up and eyeballed the cat in Reese’s arms as he stood.

  “Don’t even think about it.” Reese cuddled Marbles to him.

  Diablo grunted. “I’m not going to eat her. I just don’t like cats. They’re snobs and royal pains in the ass.”

  Reese couldn’t argue, but they were also great cuddlers. “They kind of grow on you.”

  “Like a fungus I had once.” Diablo chuckled. “They’re cute when their kittens. Assholes when they’re adults.”

  “Can you take Rosco out for exercise, Diablo? He needs out of his cage for an hour or two.” Reese placed Marbles back in her cage.

  “Diablo?”

  Reese spun and saw Luke and Maynard standing in the back door. How had he not heard them before now?

  “We knocked on the front door, but no one answered,” Maynard said as he stared wide-eyed at Diablo. “So we came around back and found the door already open.”

  Reese had been airing things out since the smell could be too much at times. He glanced between all three men, his heart pounding that he’d outed Diablo before his mate had been ready.

  “Are you my fucking dog?” Luke snarled. “The dog I rescued from an abandoned house? The dog who I cuddled and nurtured for two years? My best fucking friend, the one I lost sleep over because I thought he had goddamn rabies?”

  “Now hold on,” Reese snarled.

  “No, you hold on,” Luke snapped. “You lied to me, Dr. Freeman. You knew Diablo was a shifter and hid that from me.”

  “I just found out,” Reese argued.

  “But he never smelled like a shifter,” Maynard said as he kept staring wide-eyed at Diablo. “Why didn’t you ever smell like a shifter?”

  “Did he even have rabies, or was that an excuse to fuck my dog?” Luke snapped.

  Diablo slugged Luke square on his jaw. Luke recovered and tackled Diablo, taking him to the floor as the caged animals went nuts. They exchanged some hard blows before Reese and Maynard pulled them apart. Reese had a feeling Diablo had let him, because his mate was massive and just as powerful. It was also like trying to hold back an attack dog, no pun intended.

  “Don’t you ever talk to Reese like that again.” Diablo jabbed his finger at Luke. “I may owe you my life and gratitude, but if you talk to Reese like that again, all bets are off.”

  Luke started to storm out, but Reese and Maynard blocked him. “You need to listen to what Diablo has to say,” Reese said.

  “I don’t need to listen to shit,” Luke growled. “He deceived me for two fucking years. He made me think he was my best goddamn friend. I told him things I wouldn’t have told another living soul.”

  Reese got it. Luke felt betrayed, but the two needed to work this out because Reese wasn’t going to let this ruin Luke and Diablo’s friendship.

  “And I’ll take those confidences to my grave,” Diablo said, his tone less biting.

  “He has demons after him, Luke. He’s been in hiding all this time. Those scars you saw on your dog are also on Diablo’s human form. Do you know how hard it is to scar a nonhuman?”

  “Almost impossible,” Maynard said. He looked at Diablo. “You tried to eat me.”

  Diablo rolled his eyes. “I was never going to eat you. You just smelled like prey and excited the animals in me.”

  “Plural. I guess that’s correct since you’re a Rottweiler and a German shepherd,” Maynard said more to himself than to Diablo.

  Reese saw the moment Maynard put two and two together. His back went ramrod straight. “You’re a hellhound,” he whispered.

  “A what?” Luke looked Diablo over before turning his attention to Maynard.

  “A hellhound,” Maynard said. “Nasty creatures who prey on people, draining them of all their happiness before torturing them. Then killing them.” Maynard frowned. “You’re not draining my happiness.”

  “Half-breed,” Diablo said.

  “Do you have the mark behind one of your ears?” Maynard asked.

  Diablo snarled. “Thanks for exposing my one weakness, genius.”

  “Watch your tone,” Luke warned. “I’m still angry as fuck I petted you and let you sleep in my bed. For fuck’s sake, how many times have you seen me naked or heard me sing offkey?”

  Reese furrowed his brows when Diablo burst out laughing. “One, I’m not attracted to you and nudity is no big deal to shifters. Two, you can’t hold a tune to save your life.”

  Luke crossed his arms. “Let me hear you sing.”

  “Not a chance in hell,” Diablo snarled. “I’d make everyone’s eardrums bleed. Kind of like you did whenever you sang.”

  “Wait.” Maynard held up his hands. “Let’s circle back to you having demons after you.”

  With a sigh, Diablo told Luke and Maynard about his problem, about the elixir he’d been taking, how it had been him breaking into Luke’s shed, and how Xylem and Rochester had found him.

  Reese hadn’t known the part about one of the demons beating Diablo’s ass. He’d just known his mate had shown up bruised as hell.

  “By staying hidden, I was looking out for your safety,” Diablo explained. “If you knew I was a shifter, I could have brought that trouble right to your door. As badass as you are, you can’t handle these demons, Luke.”

  Luke looked Diablo over. “This is so fucking weird. You look like you belong in a biker gang.”

  “No I don’t,” Diablo argued. “I might be rough around the edges, but I’m housetrained.”

  Reese snickered. So did Maynard. Luke just looked put out.

  “You’re also massive,” Maynard piped in. “How tall are you?”

  “Six-five.” He glanced at Luke. “You gonna keep my secret?”

  “If you don’t want anyone to know,” Maynard said, “then you might want to take more of that elixir. I can smell what you are.”

  “He was also hiding the fact he was my mate,” Reese said with a clip. “For two damn years, I might add. I just discovered his secret by accident.” He looked at Luke. “I never meant to lie to you. I just needed time to figure all of this out.”

  “Don’t hold it against you, Doc,” Luke said before he turned to Diablo. “You’re another story.”

  “What?” Diablo splayed his arms. “I told you why I did it.”

  “You need to say sorry,” Reese murmured to his mate. “I think he’s waiting for an apology.”

  “But I told him why,” Diablo repeated. “That’s an apology.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Maynard said.

  “I want my fucking dog back,” Luke grumbled.

  “I got a crazy cousin you’re welcome to have,” Diablo said with a grin. “Not sure Lucifer is housebroken, though.”

  “What is with your family naming everyone Devil?” Maynard asked. “It goes along with Luke’s last name.”

  “Huh?” Reese was confused.

  “Teufel means devil in German.” Luke grinned.

  “I feel like I need some holy water,” Reese said.

  “You have no idea,” Diablo grumbled.

  “You’re still my fucking dog,” Luke jabbed a finger back at Diablo.

  “I’m not eating any more of that disgusting dog food,” Diablo argued. “The treats were delicious, but I nearly gagged whenever you made me eat that crap.”

  Now it was Reese who busted out laughing. Maynard just gave a goofy grin.

  The situation wasn’t really funny, but all Reese saw in his mind was Diablo inwardly bitching as he had to scarf dried dog food from a bowl on the floor.

  No, it wasn’t funny, but the mood needed to be lightened.

  “I do need to come by and get my elixir,” Diablo said. “I also have a stash in one of the trees, extra clothes, cash, shit like that. I grabbed some of my stuff but I need to get the rest.”

  “Dinner party,” Maynard sang. “Just the four of us. Think of it as getting to know you all over again, Diablo.” He smiled at Reese. “And getting to know you even better.”

  “I don’t want to put any of you in danger,” Diablo said. “That’s the main reason I never shifted.”

  “The truth is out between us. You can’t close the barn door now that the horses are out. Maynard wants you over for dinner, you come to fucking dinner.” Luke glared at Diablo, as if daring him to decline again. “At least now you won’t shed all over the place.”