Wolf's Survival

WOLF’S SURVIVAL

…A muffled snort drew his eyes back to the man standing behind Bobby. Laughter twinkled in the man’s eyes, and Jacob couldn’t help but grin at him. Shock raced over the other man’s face, plus a hint of heat. “Popeye’s not real. He’s a cartoon.” Bobby crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Jacob. “That’s true, but still I eat green vegetables and look at me.” “Why don’t you go and find your mother, Bobby? Try to talk her into buying some green beans.” The man ran his hand over Bobby’s blond curls. “Okay.” Bobby raced off down the wide aisle to where a curvy brunette stood, looking over the fruit. Jacob straightened, not sure what to say to the man. He never had trouble talking to kids. For some reason, his big size never bothered them and his wolf’s instinct was to protect them. His wolf wanted to do something else to the man standing in front of him. “Thanks for talking to Bobby. He can be a handful at times.” The man stuck out his hand. “My name is Oliver Wingate.” He gave the elegantly slender hand a quick shake and mumbled, “Jacob Tasker. Nice meeting you. I have a dog in the truck, so I need to be going.” Jacob whirled around and rushed toward the checkout lane. His pride wouldn’t admit he was running away, but something told him that Oliver was a temptation he needed to escape before his wolf tried something, like licking every inch of the man. Something else told him the man’s wife wouldn’t like that at all…

ALSO BY T. A. CHASE Allergies Bastet Be The Air For You Bitter Creek’s Redemption Duncan’s World Freaks In Love Lift Your Voice Nick Of Time Nowhere Diner: Finding Love Revealing The Past Soothe The Burn

WOLF’S SURVIVAL BY T. A. CHASE

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

WOLF’S SURVIVAL AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2010 by T. A. Chase ISBN 978-1-60272-753-3 Cover Art © 2010 Trace Edward Zaber

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Thank you to everyone who fell in love with Jacob and Ollie.

WOLF’S SURVIVAL

PROLOGUE The full moon shone through the huge wall of windows, bathing everything in a silver glow. It highlighted the large grey timber wolf curled up amongst furs on the floor. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be dreaming. By the way he whimpered and his paws twitched, they didn’t seem to be sweet dreams; more like nightmares. The wolf jerked and growled. When the moon was at the apex of the night sky, the wolf awoke, rocked back on his haunches and howled. His mournful song filled the room and echoes bounced back like faint voices from the past. If one looked into the creature’s red hazel eyes, one would swear tears lurked in them, along with desperate loneliness and stubborn determination. It was the look of a wolf without a pack. 1

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CHAPTER 1 Ignoring the stares of the townsfolk of Red Cliff, Idaho, Jacob strolled into Marci’s Diner and took a seat in the far booth. Only a half hour into his monthly visit to town and he already wanted to go back to the ranch. “What’ll you have, Jacob?” He looked up as a chipped coffee mug appeared in front of him filled with steaming liquid. The owner of the diner, Marci, stood eyeing him, her bouffant hair sporting more gray than red these days. “Whatever’s the special, I guess.” He winced along with Marci. His voice sounded like five miles of bad road. It’d been a while since he talked to anyone besides his dogs. 2

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“One special coming up.” Marci winked before she headed back to yell his order at her husband. Jacob wrapped his hands around the warm cup and inhaled the rich scent of coffee. He’d heard the footsteps make their way through the crowd and recognized their owner, so he was ready when Von Hausling plopped down in the seat across from him. He barely managed to refrain from snarling at the man. “Good to see you, Tasker. I wanted to talk to you about some stuff. Was considering a drive up to your place.” Snorting softly, Jacob rolled his eyes before meeting the man’s gaze. He disliked this generation of Von Hauslings as much as every previous one all the way back to when Jacob was a pup. “What do you want?” Anything the jackass wanted, Jacob was sure to go against, more on general principal than any true conviction on Jacob’s part. Von Hausling never seemed to grasp Jacob’s disgust. He was often like an eager puppy trying to get the alpha dog to notice him. “There’s a big meeting over at the town hall tonight. Some team from the Department of Fish and Game is here. Seems they want to do some investigating.” “If they’re interested in poaching, you might want to watch your back.” The man’s eyes went wide. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, Tasker.” He set his coffee down and leaned forward into Von Hausling’s personal space, letting his upper lip curl. “Sure you do, and if you take another deer off my property again, I’ll make you pay.” Von Hausling paled and shot to his feet. “Fuck you.” They both knew Jacob’s threat wasn’t an idle one. He could make the other man pay without anyone ever finding out. 3

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Accidents happened all the time up in the hills around Red Cliff. “You scaring people again, Jacob?” Marci set down Jacob’s food after dodging Von Hausling’s hasty retreat. “Only the ones who deserve it. He trespassed on my land and took a doe. Left behind a little one.” She shook her head, knowing the orphaned fawn’s chances were slim. She’d be right if Jacob hadn’t found the baby and dropped it off at an animal refuge in the next county. “What’s this meeting idiot boy wanted me to attend?” Marci had all the gossip. She wrinkled her nose and sighed. “The government’s squawking about transplanting a couple breeding pairs of wolves into the hills by your place.” After taking a sip of his drink, he shook his head. “Is it that time of year again?” The diner owner laughed. “Does seem like they’re on a regular cycle, doesn’t it?” She wandered off to wait on another customer, leaving Jacob to eat his meal in peace. Bringing wolves back to the hills? Just so humans could kill and wipe them out again. Jacob had been around for the first slaughter. He didn’t want to be around for the next one. He finished his lunch without another interruption, paid Marci and headed out. As he wandered back to the vet’s office, his acute hearing picked up snatches of conversation. “Damn government. Coming in to tell us how to live our lives.” “Wolves are terrible creatures. They’ll kill our cattle.” Were they more upset about the government trying to tell them what to do than they were about the wolves? It was hard to tell. Jacob kept his head down. None of it concerned him. Whether 4

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wolves came back to the country or not, Jacob would be there, surviving on his own like always. Checking his watch, he figured Doc Smith would be finished giving Bella her check-up. He strolled down the sidewalk, not acknowledging the people who dodged out of his way. At his size, Jacob was used to intimidating humans, and it worked out well since he didn’t want to talk to any of them anyway. Being the last of his kind made it easy for Jacob to become a recluse. He saw no need to become friendly with creatures who would turn on him in a heartbeat if they ever found out what he was. He’d seen too much of it when he was young, and he didn’t want to go through that kind of pain again. He pushed open the door and dredged up a half-smile for the usually-perky receptionist behind the desk at Doc Smith’s office. She gave a frightened squeak, but pulled herself together by the time he drew closer to her. “Is Bella ready to go?” “Yes, Mr. Tasker. Doc Smith gave her a clean bill of health and said the puppies look good. You can expect them to arrive soon.” She rang the buzzer, and Jacob nodded, waiting impatiently for whoever had Bella in the back to bring her out. “I’m glad to hear that.” He handed her the check for the appointment. “You have Doc’s number, right? That way, if Bella has any problems, you can call and Doc will be right out to your place in a hurry.” Her smile held a little bit of fear and a hint of attraction. “Yeah, I got it. I’m not worried, though. Bella’s an old hand at puppies. She’ll be fine.” He was the one who would be a nervous wreck until the last one was born and breathing. He hated like hell to lose one of the 5

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little ones before they even had a chance to breathe. It broke his heart sometimes, even though he understood it was nature’s way. Bella bounded through the door, or she tried as best she could with her pregnant belly. Jacob knelt, allowing her to wash his face with her tongue. Rumbling low in his chest, he let her know it was time to leave. She settled back on her haunches, tongue lolling out, and practically grinned at him. “She seems eager to leave,” the vet tech commented. He didn’t remember her name and didn’t really care to know it. “She doesn’t like towns any more than I do. Thanks for taking care of her.” Straightening, he gestured for Bella to heel and they left the vet’s office. He never put his dogs on a leash. As well trained as they were, they knew better than to run away. The Border Collie trotted at his left side, bright gaze watching everything around her. That was one of the things he liked about the breed. They were highly intelligent and always paying attention. Privacy was important to Jacob, so he didn’t have a lot of humans running around his ranch. He used the dogs to help keep his herd of sheep in line. Bella and Butch were the senior dogs in the pack and the ones he’d had the longest. They kept him from getting lonely as well. They weaved their way through the people, and Jacob didn’t make eye contact with any of them, discouraging them from getting the idea of stopping to talk. When he came to town, it seemed more and more congested each time. It was becoming easier to spend all of his time in his wolf skin than being human. After arriving at his truck, he helped Bella into the cab before climbing behind the wheel and driving over to the grocery store. He’d already picked up his order at the feed store. Now it was time 6

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for his own needs, though he could hunt in the hills if he wanted to. He ordered Bella to stay, leaving the windows rolled down as he turned the vehicle off and headed into the store. No one would touch his truck, even without Bella being there. Most of the people living in Red Cliff steered clear of Jacob. He’d proven on more than one occasion that he didn’t welcome any friendly overtures. And on the rare nights when the loneliness got to be too much and he came into town to the bar, he’d proven he could take all comers when some drunk asshole messed with him. He had a low tolerance for bullshit, and many had learned that the hard way. “Hey, Jacob.” He wiggled a few fingers in Cotton Ballou’s direction. Cotton was the oldest resident of Red Cliff, not counting Jacob, who had been around before the town ever existed. No one knew that, though, and he wasn’t about to announce it and take Cotton’s title away from him. As Jacob pushed his cart through the store, he tossed things into it without really paying attention. His mind wandered back to the one topic everyone was talking about—wolves returning to Idaho. Little did anyone know that they’d never really left. Well, there was one remaining “wolf,” but he never showed himself to any human if he could help it. Having figured out the hard way that humans couldn’t be trusted, he’d retreated farther into himself every year until some day the human part of him would disappear and there would only be the wolf. High-pitched childish laughter cut through his melancholy and he smiled. Rushing footsteps alerted him, and he paused at the end of the aisle. A little blond boy barreled around the corner and ran 7

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into Jacob’s leg. Jacob leaned down to catch the kid before he fell over. Bright blue eyes met his and widened in surprise. “Wow.” “Are you okay?” He supported the boy until he got his feet under him, and then Jacob straightened. “Holy schmoly! You’re huge.” “Bobby, that’s not nice to say.” The words spoken in a soft, mellow voice trickled down Jacob’s spine like warm water and he looked up into blue eyes that matched the boy’s. Yet there was nothing particularly childish about the man staring at Jacob like a kid in a candy store and Jacob was the biggest lollipop the guy had ever seen. “It’s okay. He’s right.” Jacob ducked down to meet the kid’s amazed gaze. “I’m big because I eat my vegetables.” Bobby screwed up his nose in disgust. “I hate vegetables.” “Well, if you want to grow up big and strong like me, you need to eat them.” Tilting his head, Bobby studied Jacob, determining whether the man was conning him or not. “What kind of vegetables?” “Green ones.” “Really?” Bobby still wasn’t sure about the whole thing. Jacob nodded. “Just like Popeye, green vegetables are great for growing big.” A muffled snort drew his eyes back to the man standing behind Bobby. Laughter twinkled in the man’s eyes, and Jacob couldn’t help but grin at him. Shock raced over the other man’s face, plus a hint of heat. “Popeye’s not real. He’s a cartoon.” Bobby crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Jacob. “That’s true, but still I eat green vegetables and look at me.” 8

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“Why don’t you go and find your mother, Bobby? Try to talk her into buying some green beans.” The man ran his hand over Bobby’s blond curls. “Okay.” Bobby raced off down the wide aisle to where a curvy brunette stood, looking over the fruit. Jacob straightened, not sure what to say to the man. He never had trouble talking to kids. For some reason, his big size never bothered them and his wolf’s instinct was to protect them. His wolf wanted to do something else to the man standing in front of him. “Thanks for talking to Bobby. He can be a handful at times.” The man stuck out his hand. “My name is Oliver Wingate.” He gave the elegantly slender hand a quick shake and mumbled, “Jacob Tasker. Nice meeting you. I have a dog in the truck, so I need to be going.” Jacob whirled around and rushed toward the checkout lane. His pride wouldn’t admit he was running away, but something told him that Oliver was a temptation he needed to escape before his wolf tried something, like licking every inch of the man. Something else told him the man’s wife wouldn’t like that at all.

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CHAPTER 2 Oliver stared after Jacob, trying hard to keep his eyes on the man’s back and not that drool-worthy ass covered in faded jeans. Quoting Bobby, Holy schmoly, was Jacob big and absolutely dropdead gorgeous. Thank goodness Bobby had been around to break the ice because Oliver would never have summoned the courage to speak to the man. “Oliver, what have you been telling Bobby?” He turned and smiled at the exasperated expression on his sister’s face. Bobby hung on the side of the cart, babbling about giants and green beans. “What does it matter as long as he eats vegetables?” “Can we get green beans, Mom? The giant said green beans would help me grow big and strong like him,” Bobby begged. 10

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“You might as well pick some up. He won’t stop pestering you until you do.” Oliver ruffled Bobby’s blond hair. “Tell me again. Why did I come out here with you?” Lizzie rolled her eyes as she continued to push the cart down the aisle. Oliver shook his head. “I’m not sure why you came either. You had to have known how much fun this wasn’t going to be.” Lizzie shrugged and shot a glance at Bobby, who stood staring at a pile of green vegetables. “Maybe I thought we needed a new start.” “True.” He reached out and rested a hand over his sister’s on the cart handle. “I’m sorry, sis.” Her smile was sad, but her eyes were clear as they met his. “Don’t be sorry. We’re learning to deal with it. I just miss her so much.” “We all do.” Lizzie’s partner had died of ovarian cancer three months ago, and when this trip to Red Cliff came up, Oliver had asked Lizzie to accompany him simply to help her get back to the world of the living. He understood how much it hurt to lose a loved one. His boyfriend had been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq five years ago. The pain had been fierce and terrible for months afterwards, but he’d slowly regrouped and gotten his life back together. He hadn’t gotten back into the dating scene yet. Heck, it had been hard enough for him to meet Brian; he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to find someone new to spend his life with. He’d always love Brian, but he couldn’t live in the past anymore. Shaking his head, he went over to Bobby. “Let’s get some of these for dinner tonight.” “Okay, Uncle Oliver.” The boy grinned up at him, and Oliver 11

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couldn’t help but smile back. They finished their shopping and headed toward the front of the store. As they approached the checkout counter, they heard a loud, angry voice. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to let them bring wolves back to this area. Those filthy animals will destroy our herds. My ancestors worked hard to get rid of them, and I’m not going to let their work be in vain.” Lizzie looked at Oliver and frowned. “I never understood that mentality.” He rolled his eyes before continuing on. As they rounded the end of the aisle, he spied several men standing by the cash register. They appeared to be stereotypical ranchers, weathered and worn. Only one stood out from the rest and that was Jacob Tasker, the man Oliver had talked to earlier. “You should be worried as well, Tasker. Those sheep of yours will be easy prey for those varmints if the government has their say. Plus, you lease land from the feds as well. I hear they’re looking to release wolves up around your ranch.” Jacob ignored the speaker and emptied out his cart for the clerk to ring up. The older man who was doing the talking reached out to grab Jacob’s shoulder. Oliver bit back a gasp as Jacob swung around, a snarl curling his lip. The other man jerked away from him. “Sorry, Tasker. I just wanted to make sure you understood the issue. They’re having a meeting tonight at the town hall to fill us in. Maybe you should be there.” Jacob shrugged, his broad shoulders shifting under the vast expanse of fabric covering them. “It doesn’t matter to me whether they do it or not.” 12

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“How can you say that?” One of the other ranchers stepped forward. “Wolves are vile creatures that kill indiscriminately and without mercy.” Oliver opened his mouth to protest, but Jacob beat him to it. “So are most of the men I know.” That shut the group up long enough for Jacob to grab his bags and stalk from the store. Oliver followed his progress, watching him climb into a heavy duty 4x4 Ford. Could Jacob become an ally in Oliver’s re-introduction plan? He’d have to find out where the man lived and go talk to him privately because something told him Jacob wouldn’t be at the meeting that night. “Tasker’s always been strange, living up on his mountain like he does, all by himself.” Turning his attention away from the blue truck leaving the parking lot, Oliver noticed that his sister had made it to the register. The group of men studied him, Lizzie, and Bobby closely, yet none of them spoke to him. The clerk was polite, but guarded, and Oliver wondered if it was the natural reluctance of small town minds to open to strangers, or did they all know who Oliver was. “You’re that government man who’s come to tell us what we should do with our land.” A harsh cruel voice came from the crowd. Oliver gestured for Lizzie to pay and take Bobby out of the store. If there was going to be a confrontation, he didn’t want them involved. He turned and bit back a curse. Shoot, the man was big. Not Jacob Tasker size, but close to it. Though, where Jacob gave off an air of sheer strength and muscle, this man seemed to run toward fat and lazy. “Yes, I am. My name is Oliver Wingate and I’m with the 13

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Department of the Interior.” He didn’t offer his hand since he knew the man wouldn’t take it. “Don’t care who the hell you are. You just need to take your little lady and that cute kid of yours and leave town. Ain’t no government man telling us what we can and can’t do.” The man crossed his arms and glared at Oliver. “I understand your feelings, sir, but I’m not here to order you to do anything. I’m simply here to inform you of what’s going to be happening in the next couple of months or so.” His announcement didn’t sit well with the men, but Oliver didn’t care. For too long, humans had been driving species to extinction without thought or care. He wanted to help the animals without a voice find their way back to the land they called home before man came along. He’d do it, even in the face of hostility and anger. “You might want to rethink that, boy.” Everything about the man threatened Oliver and he knew the better part of valor was retreating. There were some people he would never convince, but the thing they didn’t understand was that there would be no real discussion about the wolves. The department had already decided and the wolves were to arrive by the beginning of August. He had been sent to let the ranchers know when it was going to happen. He left the store and joined Lizzie at the truck. She gave him a worried look. “Are we going to have trouble?” “There’s always trouble when you try to upset the status quo, but we’ll see how things go at the meeting tonight.” “I’m not sure I want you to stay here alone.” “You and Bobby have to get back home. We don’t want him to 14

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miss any more school. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine and my team will be arriving next month, so I won’t be by myself for very long.” Oliver wasn’t going to admit to his sister that he was glad they were leaving soon. As much as he would miss having them with him, he also knew things around Red Cliff could get rough for a while, until people accepted the idea of the wolves coming back. “Can we get some ice cream, Uncle Oliver?” Bobby tugged on Oliver’s hand. “After lunch, kiddo.” Lizzie laughed. “You spoil him so much.” Oliver loaded the bags into the truck, while Lizzie put Bobby in his car seat. “He’s my nephew. I’m supposed to spoil him. It’s like a law or something.” They both chuckled and they drove back to the small house Oliver rented at the edge of town. He’d spend the day getting ready for the meeting and keep his fingers crossed that things went okay. *

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The crowded meeting room sweltered, and sweat trickled down between Oliver’s shoulder blades. As a lot of angry faces stared back at him, he fought the urge to scrunch down in his seat, making himself a smaller target. Gosh, he hated talking in front of crowds, but as head biologist on the Red Cliff project, it was his job to deal with the questions these folks would have. The mayor of Red Cliff, Marvin Gooding, stood to introduce Oliver. “I think you all know why we’re here tonight. Oliver Wingate, from the Department of the Interior, is going to tell us about what they have planned.” Not much fanfare. That didn’t surprise Oliver. Mayor Gooding 15

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had protested loud and long when he’d been advised of Oliver’s arrival. Standing, Oliver took a deep breath and strolled over to the podium. He tightened his grip on his papers, hoping no one could see his hands shake. “Thank you, Mayor Gooding. Thank you all for coming tonight. I have the pleasure of announcing that the first pair of timber wolves will arrive in August. The Department of the Interior, along with Fish and Game, has decided to re-introduce the wolf into what were some of its natural habitats before it was hunted to the brink of extinction.” The muttering started, and Oliver ignored it. He went on to outline the plans for the re-introduction, the goals the DOI were hoping to achieve, and the benefits to the environment. “The population of deer, elk, and antelope has exploded over the years, simply because there is no apex predator around to cull the herds. Mountain lions and grizzlies can’t do it all on their own because there aren’t huge populations of those either.” “Then let us take more of them. These restrictions on the number of deer or elk taken allows for more deer to live and breed,” one man shouted from the back of the room. “If the limit is lifted, then we might find ourselves with the problem of the buffalo. Indiscriminate hunting, killing for sport instead of need.” Oliver paused and refocused. He couldn’t get caught up in that argument. The people in the room didn’t want to hear that. “Next hunting season, the limit will be raised, but it’s still not enough to restore balance to nature.” “Bullshit. Those wolves will prey on our cattle, and I’ll lose money,” another man shouted. “Not true. With the number of other prey animals available, the wolves will hunt them, not your herds.” 16

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“How do you know?” “There have been studies done that prove my point.” “You lie. All you government men are the same. Trying to get good, law-abiding citizens to do your biding.” That statement burst the dam and people stood, yelling at Oliver. He didn’t say anything, just stood there and let them get their frustrations out. He’d been through other projects that brought out hostile protests, and knew he needed to let them vent before he said anything else. Glancing down, he checked his watch. It had been ten minutes since the shouting started and it didn’t seem to be winding down. He looked over at Mayor Gooding, raising an eyebrow in question. The mayor shrugged, not interested in stopping them and moving the meeting on. Exasperated, he slipped his papers away in his briefcase and grabbed his jacket from his chair. “Where are you going?” Oliver stared at Gooding for a second before turning away. “I’m leaving. You’re not interested in getting a grip on this meeting. I’m not wasting my time listening to them all shout at me.” “But you’re supposed to be listening to their objections.” “And I will when they’re ready to talk to me one-on-one. I won’t stand here and be yelled at like I’m an idiot.” He might not be able to strike up a conversation without help with a good-looking guy, but he knew his business when it came to wolves and their environment. Strolling out of the town hall, he sighed. He wished people understood what they were doing to the environment, yet most of them just saw what they could get that moment, instead of what 17

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would happen in the future.

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CHAPTER 3 The teenage dogs took off around the barn with Bella waddling after them. Jacob shook his head. The young ones hadn’t learned discipline yet, but Bella would keep them in line. Beau, Gabrielle, and Skip stayed with the herd, continuing to do their job. Hell, if they could figure a way to open the locks on the doors and the gates, he wouldn’t even need to get out of bed. They’d have the herd moving to the pasture without him. A car engine finally broke through his thoughts and he frowned. That was the noise he’d been ignoring for the past few minutes and the one that drew his pups from their training session. Sighing, he tucked his gloves in his back pocket and gestured for the remaining dogs to guard. Beau settled on the high ground above the herd, while Gabrielle and Skip took flanking positions. 19

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The sheep wouldn’t wander off with the dogs looking after them. “You would think folks would get the hint I don’t want to be bothered,” he muttered as he strolled to the front yard. Jacob had gone to a lot of trouble to ensure people didn’t just drop in on him. He didn’t have a cell phone or a landline. He had a cell phone and a radio in case of emergencies, though there were very few situations he considered ones he couldn’t deal with on his own. The government men threw a wrench in his isolation plans. Since they’d come to town, people Jacob had only nodded at in his entire life were showing up on his doorstep, wanting to discuss the wolf problem. He never invited them in and usually managed to run them off within minutes of them arriving. As he came around the corner of his house, he saw a man step from a dark blue truck. The dogs swirled around his feet like black-and-white waves. Bella sat a few feet away. She’d always been the cautious one, willing to let the others greet strangers while she watched. The man didn’t try to pet the pups. He just stood there, smiling down at them with evident pleasure on his face. “Look at you beauties. Purebred Border Collies if I’m not mistaken.” Jacob gave the man points for knowing his breeds of dogs. A stick cracked under his foot, and the man looked up. Sudden lust slammed into Jacob’s stomach when he met the blue eyes of Oliver Wingate, the man he’d talked to at the grocery store. Shit, the man was as good-looking as Jacob remembered. Those eyes and that shaggy blond hair. Everything about the man invited Jacob to spend the rest of his life exploring every inch of him. “Oh hi, I’m Oliver Wingate.” Oliver paused and blushed. “You 20

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might remember me from the grocery store. Of course, that’s a little arrogant of me to think you might remember me. I’m not that memorable, you know. So I thought I’d come up and introduce myself again. I’m with the Department of the Interior.” Crossing his arms and rocking back on his heels, Jacob let Oliver babble for a bit while he studied him. Oliver was lean, almost to the point of being skinny, yet something told Jacob the guy was tougher than he looked. While Oliver likely wasn’t much more than thirty, Jacob thought he looked a lot younger than that. Then again, pretty much everyone was way younger than Jacob. Jacob was old when Oliver’s ancestors first thought about coming to the new world. “Can I come closer?” Jacob rumbled low in his throat, ordering the pups to go back to the herd. They dashed away. Only Bella stayed with him. Oliver walked up and held out his hand. “Thank you.” He nodded, shook Oliver’s hand, and then did something he’d never done before with any of his other visitors. “Would you like to come in and have some coffee?” Oliver blinked in surprise. Jacob could just imagine what the man had heard about him down in Red Cliff. Not chasing people off his property with a shotgun was about as polite as Jacob usually got, but his wolf wanted to know more about Oliver. He rolled his eyes mentally. Okay, his wolf didn’t want to know anything about Oliver. All it wanted was to pin the man down and sniff the crook of Oliver’s neck where his shoulder and throat met. It wanted to bury its nose against Oliver’s crotch and smell all the wonderful scents hidden there. But Jacob had learned control over his wolf long ago, and, 21

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while the animal side of him wished for all that, the human side of him knew better. Most humans didn’t like being manhandled, especially by someone like him. “Yes, I’d love some. I left town early to get up here. The mayor told me it was a long drive from Red Cliff. Then I got lost.” Oliver shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “Though it could’ve been the mayor’s directions. He doesn’t like me much, so he could have given me the wrong ones.” Jacob grunted and led the way into his house. Oliver’s gasp made him stop. Turning around, he spied Oliver paused in the entryway, staring around his home. Jacob tried to see his house in a new light, but couldn’t. It was home and had been for more years than most white men had been around. “It’s beautiful,” Oliver murmured. “Is it all native trees?” “Yes. My family was one of the first to settle out here, so they built the original cabin out of trees from the forest. We’ve all added on to it over the centuries.” Well, he’d done most of the work. The pack had been slowly killed off, and once he was alone, he found he needed things to do to keep from going crazy. “It must be nice to have roots that run so deep.” Oliver’s soft words held longing. “Only when you have family to appreciate them with you.” Jacob tossed his comment over his shoulder as he wandered into the kitchen, where he grabbed a mug and the coffee pot. “Do you want cream and sugar?” “Yes, please.” Oliver stood just inside the kitchen, hands tucked away and shoulders slightly hunched. Being a wolf and territorial about his home, Jacob liked the fact Oliver just didn’t walk in and sit down. Most of Jacob’s visitors 22

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acted like they owned everything they looked at. It set his teeth on edge and did nothing to endear them to him. “Take a seat.” He nodded toward the table and chairs while he grabbed the milk from the refrigerator. Oliver sat, and Jacob carried everything over to him. He settled in his chair and watched with an amused gaze as Oliver poured what looked like half the sugar bowl into his coffee. “You know, my coffee isn’t that bad,” he said casually. “I don’t really like coffee,” Oliver admitted, ducking his head and biting his lip. Jacob wanted to soothe the injured flesh with his tongue. He shifted in his chair when his cock hardened even more. “If you don’t like it, then why drink it?” Oliver set the milk down and held the cup in his hands, like he needed something to do with himself. “I find it breaks the ice with people who don’t always want to talk to me. It gives them something polite to do while trying to think up ways to get rid of me. I’m used to not being wanted.” “Your son seems to want you around.” “Son?” Oliver’s frown marred his forehead. “Bobby, the little boy you were with in the store.” Jacob sipped his own drink and wondered why he was making small talk with the man. “Oh, Bobby’s not my son. He’s my nephew and since I’m the only man in his life, he sort of has to want me around.” Oliver fidgeted. “Do you like living all the way up here, Mr. Tasker? Doesn’t it get lonely? Do you have ranch hands who help you out with whatever it is you’re growing?” Jacob hid his smile as questions spilled from Oliver’s mouth and they were obviously not what he’d plan to say. A cold nose 23

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touched his arm, drawing his attention from Oliver to where Bella sat, thumping her tail against the tile floor. “Why are you in here?” “I’m sorry. She probably came in when I did. I didn’t realize you wouldn’t want her in here.” Oliver bit his lip again, and Jacob sensed how nervous the younger man was. He knew he came off big and scary, grumpy and reclusive, but he didn’t think he’d been that way completely with Oliver. Maybe it was so ingrained in him that he did it all the time. “Don’t worry about it. She knows she can come in now.” Jacob rubbed Bella’s ears. “After her puppies are weaned, she’ll be back out with the others.” “You don’t let them in the house?” “Not normally. They’re not pets. They’re working dogs and the best place for them is out with the sheep. They need to bond with those they protect.” Jacob snapped his mouth shut. Shit, it had been a long time since he chatted with anyone like he was talking to Oliver. Something about the man loosened Jacob’s tongue and that wasn’t a good thing. He reached over and plucked the cup out of Oliver’s hand. “What did you want to talk to me about?” Oliver straightened and nodded. “Right. I’m here to inform you that the Department of the Interior will be releasing a mated pair of timber wolves just north of the acreage you lease from the Bureau of Land Management.” “I bet that went over well with the townsfolk,” he muttered, stroking Bella’s silky fur while he imagined how his neighbors reacted to the news. “They seem to take great delight in telling me about how much 24

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they hate the federal government coming in here and ordering them to do things.” “The people who live around me are rather independent thinkers.” He snorted to himself. That was putting it mildly. “I’ll say. I didn’t want to leave town until Lizzie and Bobby headed back home.” Oliver grimaced. “I’m sure they’d never hurt them, but the talk was getting a little uglier than I’m used to and I didn’t want to put them at risk by leaving them alone.” “Makes sense. They’re yours to protect, even from crazy rednecks.” Jacob eyed Oliver. “You know that you’re in danger.” Oliver waved his concerns away. “They wouldn’t touch a federal employee.” “Don’t be too sure about that, Mr. Wingate. They might be rednecks, but they are fiercely protective of their rights and their property. If they think you’re threatening either of them, it won’t matter if you’re a federal employee or not. Bad things can happen.” Why was he wasting his time trying to convince Oliver of the danger he could be in? The man was an adult. He could figure out his own problems. “Please, call me Oliver. How do you feel about the wolves being re-introduced? Are you afraid they’ll hunt your herd?” Jacob stood and moved to stare out the window over the sink. The dogs had moved the sheep higher up in the pasture like he would have told them if he were out there with him. He suddenly had the urge to shed his human skin and run among the forest in his wolf coat. He’d been too long as a human, and the earth called to him. “No, they won’t bother my herd. The dogs will protect the sheep.” 25

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He couldn’t tell Oliver that he’d mark his property and the wolves wouldn’t dare cross into his territory. Being the only wolf shifter in the area made him the alpha. No natural wolf would challenge him. “There’s another town hall meeting two nights from now. Would you come and tell the others you don’t have a problem with wolves coming back?” “No.” He swung around to glare at Oliver. “I haven’t concerned myself with what happens in Red Cliff for years, and I don’t plan on starting now.” “But don’t you care about the wolves? They should be given a chance to survive.” Oliver gestured wildly, anxious to convince Jacob. Jacob dropped his gaze to the floor. “It’s not that I don’t care about the wolves, but they’ll return when they’re ready. Humans killed and removed them from this region, and now you’re trying to repair the damage. It’s admirable, but Nature doesn’t appreciate our interference.”

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CHAPTER 4 “Well, Fudgesicles,” Oliver muttered. Jacob shot him an incredulous glance over his shoulder, but Oliver didn’t acknowledge it. “I was hoping you’d be willing to back me up.” He leaned back in his chair and tugged at the ends of his hair while he thought. “Guess I’ll have to come up with some other plan.” “I’m sorry.” Boy, didn’t it sound like that hurt Jacob to say. Oliver studied the large man taking up most of the kitchen. Oh, not with his body, which was big enough and took up a good amount of space. It was the man’s mere presence that seemed larger than life and filled the room. Jacob Tasker was truly king of his domain and he wasn’t about to let anyone forget it. 27

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“Are you married?” H-e-double hockey sticks. Oliver didn’t mean to let that question slip out. He’d been discreet, trying to catch a glimpse of a wedding ring or even a tan line, but he figured a man who worked with his hands like Jacob probably did wouldn’t wear jewelry. Jacob rested his butt against the counter and eyed Oliver. “Why do you want to know?” Because I want you to pin me against the wall and drive me crazy. Biting his lip, Oliver hoped he didn’t say that out loud. “No reason. Just making conversation.” “Sure.” Jacob sounded like he didn’t believe Oliver. “No, I’m not married. It’s hard to find someone who wants to spend all their time out here on the ranch. I go into town once a month for supplies and if one of the dogs needs a check-up.” “Does it get lonely up here without anyone to talk to?” Why was he sticking around? Obviously Jacob didn’t like company, yet here Oliver was, chatting like it was a Sunday afternoon church visit. He should head back to Red Cliff and regroup before the next meeting. “I have the dogs.” Jacob snapped his fingers, and Bella walked over to him as fast as her swollen belly would allow. “Now I know Border Collies are supposed to be the smartest dogs in the world, but unless yours are extra special, I haven’t heard about any who have learned how to talk yet.” Oliver watched the way Jacob stroked Bella’s ears and he found himself wishing Jacob would touch him like that. He wiggled in his chair as his cock stiffened. He needed to be careful. There was no way to know how Jacob would deal with the fact Oliver thought he was hot. Hot…the man was flaming smoking gorgeous…and everything Oliver always 28

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liked in a man. And everything Oliver wasn’t. A low chuckle reached his ears and he peered over to see Jacob grinning knowingly. Duck farts, the man knew what he did to Oliver. The only good thing was he didn’t seem overly bothered by it. Oliver’s cheeks heated as Jacob’s gaze wandered down his body and back up, lingering at the growing bulge in Oliver’s jeans. “Bella can’t talk, though I’m sure she could if she wanted to. Guess I’m just a lone wolf, happier up here on my land than anywhere else in the world.” Jacob’s deep voice caressed every inch of Oliver’s skin, making goose bumps rise and a shudder skip down his spine. Uhoh! Something told Oliver he could get in over his head with Jacob if they were ever to act on his attraction to the man. “H-m-m-m….oh, the dogs talking. Right. Your land is beautiful. I can see why you’d want to spend most of your time here. I grew up in Connecticut, though in a more rural area, but nothing like this. We used to camp out in Yellowstone every year, and I looked forward to those two weeks. I’m sure you’d never have guessed, but I was a bit of an odd-ball in school, so it was nice to be somewhere I felt like I fit in.” He frowned and tugged on his hair again. Jacob’s silence did nothing to encourage or discourage Oliver from talking. “Which sounds weird, doesn’t it? I mean, I was skinny and awkward.” He chuckled. “Actually, skinnier and more awkward than I am now. I did grow into myself a little bit anyway. You wouldn’t think being outdoors would agree with me, but I loved hiking and sitting next to a small waterfall in the middle of nowhere. I did a lot of thinking while I was out in nature. Helped me come to terms with some things about myself.” “Being gay one of them?” 29

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Jacob’s calm question shocked Oliver. He jumped to his feet and started toward the front door. Holy frick! If it was that obvious to Jacob, no wonder the macho men in Red Cliff didn’t like him. He was lucky they hadn’t beaten his ass to a pulp yet. He made it to the door and had his hand on the knob when a large hand wrapped around his shoulder. Jacob turned him around and crowded closer. Oliver’s secret fantasy flashed through his head. Oh, my goodies! His mind shorted out as Jacob leaned in, filling Oliver’s nose with the scent of sweat and man. There was an odd underlying aroma of fresh earth, like the dark rich soil Oliver had played with while in Yellowstone. A full body shiver hit him as Jacob buried his nose in the crook of Oliver’s neck and shoulder and took a deep breath, like he was learning Oliver’s own scent. “Um-m-m…” He trailed off as Jacob’s wet tongue tasted his skin bared by his collar. “Jelly beans,” he whispered, finally giving up and resting his hands on Jacob’s narrow waist. Jacob pulled back slightly and tilted his head, much like Bella was doing from her spot in the kitchen doorway. “Do you not swear because of Bobby?” Oliver blinked, trying to remember who Bobby was. Oh right, his nephew. He nodded. “Yeah, Lizzie doesn’t want him to learn bad words yet. I’m sure he’ll start hearing them at some point. She’s got a foul mouth on her, and it’s probably driving her crazy to keep from spewing when something goes wrong.” “Where do you think you’re going?” Jacob’s question threw Oliver off-center. Not that he was oncenter after being sniffed like a particularly tasty piece of meat. 30

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“I thought I’d leave before you beat me up,” he admitted. The rumble of laughter in Jacob’s chest vibrated through Oliver to his groin where his prick got very happy to have the man crushed up against him. “Why would I beat you up?” “Because I like men, and not just as friends.” Oliver fought the urge to drop his gaze from Jacob’s dark one. Since Jacob laughed and didn’t punch him, he wasn’t going to act ashamed of his own choices. Jacob nuzzled his neck again. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.” A jolt of surprise hit Oliver and he managed to put enough space between them to stare at Jacob. “You like me?” “I let you in my house and served you coffee.” Jacob shrugged. “I’ve never done that for anyone else. I usually greet them at the foot of my porch and get them to leave within five minutes. Your visit is the longest I’ve had in years.” Oliver couldn’t resist. He reached up and cupped Jacob’s stubble-lined jaw. “Why don’t you like people?” Closing his eyes, Jacob rubbed his cheek against Oliver’s palm. “People have a way of letting you down when you need them the most. They also have a way of destroying meaningful things.” “What have you lost in the past that makes you this hard inside, Jacob?” Oliver murmured, his heart breaking for this aloof stranger who hid on his ranch to avoid getting hurt again. “I’ve lost everything.” Jacob’s eyes popped open after he uttered those empty words and the man bared his teeth at Oliver, growling his displeasure at allowing his heartbreak a voice. As vicious as his snarl looked, Oliver only felt a sliver of fear chase around him. Maybe it was 31

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wishful thinking, but he didn’t get the feeling Jacob would hurt him in any way. He snorted silently. Jacob could hurt him in one way, and that was breaking his heart. Suddenly, throwing caution to the wind, Oliver rose up on his toes and pressed his lips to Jacob’s. Okay, so kissing the man hadn’t been on Oliver’s itinerary for the day, but life was meant to be spontaneous, right? And really, what gay man could resist all those muscles and chest hair? Jacob didn’t push him away or stop him. The man participated fully by grabbing Oliver’s butt and lifting him up, supporting his weight easily. Swedish fishes, his hole fluttered at the thought of Jacob pushing into him, and his cock ached as he rubbed against Jacob’s hard stomach. He groaned and opened to allow Jacob to sweep his tongue inside. The man took his mouth like a wolf took a deer. Swiftly and fiercely. Not quarter given and Oliver wasn’t about to ask for any. His entire body went up in flames, like a lightning-struck grassland fire. He hadn’t burnt with such need for years, since Brian died. Well, before that since Brian had been deployed for three months before he was killed. Oliver gave himself a mental shake. No thinking about Brian while in Jacob’s arms. It wasn’t fair to either man, and Oliver didn’t want to be distracted from the amazing kiss he was getting from Jacob. Jacob left his mouth, giving Oliver a chance to gather panting breaths of air to fill his burning lungs. He let his head fall back against the door and Jacob nibbled along the line of his neck, scraping his teeth down Oliver’s jugular. He moaned as Jacob teased his finger down the seam of Oliver’s jeans to rub it against 32

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his hole. “Gosh,” Oliver gasped out, needing to push back and wanting his clothes out of the way so that finger could breach his opening. “You are fucking adorable,” Jacob said as he stepped away from the door, carrying Oliver without breathing hard. Hearing he was adorable wasn’t really what Oliver hoped Jacob would think about him. Sexy. Hot. Instant climax inducing. Those were all the things that adorable was not. Yet maybe Jacob liked adorable, if the large jean-covered rod grazing Oliver’s groin with each stride was any indication. He squeaked as Jacob dropped him on the couch, but sighed when Jacob came down on top of him. A weird light gleamed in Jacob’s eyes, almost the same feral expression he’d seen in wild wolves. Jacob blinked and the light disappeared. All the blood racing from Oliver’s brain to his crotch was causing hallucinations or something. Jacob made quick work of Oliver’s shirt, pushing the sides apart and staring down at his pale chest. “I’m kind of skinny still,” Oliver muttered. His soon-to-be lover shook his head. “You’re just right.” A nervous giggle burst from Oliver, horrifying him. Giggling like a schoolgirl with her first crush wasn’t sexy either. Why was it that he could talk about wolves and conservation efforts with confidence and composure? But put him with an attractive guy and he lost every brain cell he had. Jacob ignored him, just reached out with a hand and trailed one finger from the pulse beating at the base of Oliver’s neck, over his chest, down to his belly button. He circled that and followed the faint treasure trail to the button of Oliver’s jeans. Oliver sucked in his stomach to give Jacob more room and within seconds, Oliver’s 33

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pants were opened and his cock out for public viewing. Jacob’s eyes lit up like he’d seen the best Christmas present he could ever get. “I’m so screwed,” Oliver whispered, his heart speeding up. The look Jacob shot him hit him low in his balls, making them draw up close to his body. “You’re about to be.” I must’ve been a good boy at some point in life. Oliver’s inner wanton twirled around in his head, doing the twist and all sorts of dances. It had been so long since he’d been allowed out to play. “This is crazy,” he muttered as Jacob stripped off his own shirt. “This doesn’t happen to guys like me.” “What doesn’t?” Jacob’s question sounded distracted. “Getting my fantasies fulfilled. I didn’t plan on this when I came up here. I just wanted to talk to you about the wolves.” Whatever Oliver said, it was as if a door slammed in Jacob’s head. The big guy shot off the couch like Oliver had pinched him and stalked out of the house. Oliver lay there, stunned, as the sound of the back door shutting rocketed through the room. “What the heck?” He sat up and buttoned his clothes up. Bella sat there, staring at him with a puzzled expression on her face, like she didn’t understand what had just happened either. Embarrassment and hurt drowned Oliver. Making his way out to his truck, he didn’t see Jacob or the rest of the dogs, only Bella, who whined as he climbed in the cab to leave. “Tell your master he’s an ass,” Oliver called to the Border Collie before he left.

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CHAPTER 5 Jacob paced along the fence line, hands clenching and unclenching. The sound of Oliver’s truck faded as the man drove away. “Stupid fool. You should never have let it get that far,” he muttered. His wolf whined. “He’s not for you, no matter what you think,” he informed the inner beast. Bella joined him, sitting primly at the end of the fence to stare at him. He could almost see disgust and disappointment in her eyes. “God, maybe I need to get out among people more if I’m starting to think that my dogs are disappointed in me.” 35

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Without stopping to think, he stripped and shifted. He jumped over the fence and raced up the trail, ignoring the sheep as they bleated and shuffled out of his way. His dogs were used to his changing and they recognized his scent, so they weren’t interested in him. Stretching out, he ran to the top of the ridge and sprawled, panting as he surveyed everything below him. His territory ran right up to the county road and along it in both directions for a mile. The land went back into the hills behind his house and he leased several more acres from the Bureau of Land Management, which was why Oliver came out to talk to him. His low growl echoed over the trees. Oliver, the silly human, didn’t know what kind of danger he was in. Not just from Jacob, but from the men who lived in Red Cliff. If they felt like Oliver was threatening them or their way of life, they would take action. Jacob knew what type of action they excelled at—violent and brutal. The wolf inside him wanted to go down to town, gather Oliver up, and bring him back to the house. Of course, the stupid creature wanted that. All it could think about was how wonderful Oliver smelled and how much it wanted to lick him. Jacob huffed softly. Okay, so the human part of Jacob wanted the same thing, but it wouldn’t work out. It would take a special human to want to spend his life up here in the mountains with Jacob, because Jacob would never leave his land. He’d been here since his pack had moved up from South America in the early 1700s, and the only people around the area were the Native Americans. They left his pack alone, tending to worship them more as gods than normal people. Jacob flopped onto his stomach and laid his head on his paws. His pack had never been normal. For as far back as their history 36

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went, they’d been able to shed their human forms and become wolves. No one remembered how or why their ancestor chose to do so. Maybe it was because of danger and a god granted a prayer for help. Or maybe they were monsters. He closed his eyes. It didn’t matter now. The men who came to the mountains had slaughtered his pack. The only reason he survived was that he’d been out east, studying at a university, but when his sister had been injured, he returned home to discover the decimation of his pack. When he told Oliver he’d lost everything, he’d meant it. A wolf without a pack wasn’t much of a wolf. His dogs couldn’t fill the emotional void left behind. But Oliver could. His wolf seemed stuck on the slender blond. Humans weren’t to be trusted, and Jacob wasn’t going to risk losing his heart, just because his wolf wanted to fuck. Pushing to his feet, he stretched and turned, heading back down the trail to where his pile of clothes rested by the fence. Bella was curled up next to them, her head on top of his jeans. She gave him a reproachful stare. He changed and pulled on his jeans, holding his shirt in his hand. Kneeling next to her, he scratched her ears. “You liked Oliver, didn’t you?” he muttered. Her wet tongue swiped his fingers. “I know. I do, too, but he won’t stay with us. He’s meant for other things, better things than he can get up in the mountains with a grumpy shepherd and his dogs.” Bella’s yip was sharp and she was probably calling Jacob an idiot. He nodded, but motioned for her to follow him. He needed to go and clean up before heading back out to check on the flock. Jacob entered his house and went upstairs to his bathroom. As 37

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the hot water steamed up the room, he stared at himself in the mirror and frowned. Dark stubble covered his jaw and his hair’s jagged edges brushed his shoulders. He needed to shave and get his hair cut. Just because it was only him out in the woods didn’t mean he should let himself go. Snorting, he realized he was thinking all those things because he hoped to see Oliver again. He doubted that would happen. Now he’d managed to embarrass and, more than likely, hurt the man, Oliver would try hard to avoid Jacob. Which wasn’t that hard since Jacob rarely went into town and Oliver wouldn’t be making another trip up to the ranch. You’re a stupid man, Jacob. He ignored the voice that sounded remarkable like his mother’s. Mother had been gone for centuries now, yet at times like this, when he slipped deeper into his isolation, he would hear her voice berating him for cutting himself off from the world. She never saw the danger humans presented and opened her home to any wayward traveler. It was that generosity of spirit that got her killed. Snarling, he whirled away from the mirror and stepped under the hot stream of liquid. He scrubbed the dirt off and ignored the hard flesh springing proudly from between his legs. It didn’t seem right to bring himself off when he’d left Oliver hanging. He brushed the back of his hand over his cock, groaning as it twitched from the touch. Jacob’s body ached for release as his mind remembered what it felt like to kiss Oliver. His soft lips and lean but muscular body were like a match to the tinder of Jacob’s desire. Yet they weren’t compatible and it was easier to stop now before he got more attached to the man and they ended up with their hearts broken. 38

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Oliver’s anger and hard-on didn’t last any longer than two miles down the mountain back to Red Cliff. Things like Jacob making love to him didn’t happen to guys like Oliver. He should have known it was too good to be true. He’d gotten to the house he rented, then called Lizzie to make sure she and Bobby had made it home all right. Catching up on phone calls and field reports occupied his mind until he looked up and it was dark outside. After putting his stuff away and shutting his laptop down, he wandered into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, checking his food supply. He grimaced. Nothing looked good. Guess it was time to order pizza. Thank goodness, Red Cliff did have a pizza place that delivered. Oliver didn’t want to wander around the town after dark. Red Cliff wasn’t like Washington D.C., Chicago, or even Boise. There weren’t any streetlights to keep him on the sidewalks and not in the middle of the road. The only place to go and hang out was the local bar. Something told Oliver he wouldn’t fit in there. It was just easier to stay out of everyone’s sight until his colleagues showed up to help him. They needed to do a little more research on the area they wanted to release the wolves. Make sure it would be the best place for them. Thinking about the wolves and where they were hoping they’d set up a home brought his mind back to Jacob. He shut the refrigerator door and leaned against it with a sigh. Sugar, he needed to stop thinking about the man. Nothing was going to happen between them, not if Jacob’s running away from him was 39

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any indication. His cock jumped when he thought of the strength Jacob exhibited when the man picked him up and carried him to the couch. Brian never did that. Of course, Oliver didn’t know he’d get turned on by being carried. Jacob was bigger and broader than Brian had been. He hummed at the memory of how hot Jacob’s skin had been, like the man burned just for him. Oliver snorted and shook his head. “Silly man,” he muttered as he pushed away from the fridge and reached for the phone. After ordering his pizza, he settled on the couch, bringing his feet up on the cushion and wrapping his arms around his legs. He rested his chin on his knees and closed his eyes. Jacob was the first man to affect him so much since Brian died. Oh, it wasn’t like Oliver hadn’t gone on dates in the five years Brian had been gone because he had, but none of them ever made him want to spend the night or share his body with them. Yet only after two meetings, Oliver had the feeling if Jacob showed up on his porch steps, he’d let the man cart him off to bed and do whatever he wanted to him. He chuckled at how his inner slut whined about not getting what he wanted earlier. Guess tonight would end up with him jerking off in the shower before he climbed into an empty bed. He pulled up a faded memory of Brian and him laughing at a party or something Lizzie had put on. Those were perfect times, even though he had worried about Brian being in the military. After burying Brian in Arlington, Oliver had thrown himself into his pet project, wolf conservation, and achieved some of the goals he’d set for himself. In his loneliest moments, he admitted he’d rather have Brian with him than accolades from strangers. A knock on his front door pulled him out of his melancholy 40

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thoughts. He grabbed his wallet and headed to the door. “I guess you guys aren’t busy tonight. Didn’t take you long to get here.” The door slammed open, and three men pushed their way in. Oliver’s moment of surprised hesitation was all they needed. One tossed a bag over his head, while one of the others snatched him off his feet. As the cool night air hit him, he started struggling and yelling, hoping someone would call the police. And would the police come to help you? The nagging voice spoke up in his head. Oliver had the sinking suspicion no one would come to his rescue. These men weren’t acting on their own. They more than likely had the consent of the entire town to deal with the government man come to tell them how to live their lives. Knowing he was on his own helped add desperation to Oliver’s efforts. He couldn’t let them get him out in the woods. They could dump his body and no one would know where he went. Lizzie would be all alone to raise Bobby, and Oliver couldn’t let that happen to his sister. He got in some good blows if the grunts were anything to go by, but still, they stuffed him in a trunk and slammed it on him. He groaned as the metal nailed his hand. Pain rushed through, threatening to overwhelm him. Holy Hannah! It had to be broken as it throbbed with pain. His kidnappers weren’t gentle as they pulled away from the curb in front of his house. He was rocked back and forth, running into whatever was in the trunk, which consisted of a bunch of hard objects. By the time they got to wherever they were going, Oliver could feel bruises rising under his skin. The trunk popped open and fresh air poured in, but Oliver didn’t get a chance to enjoy it before he was yanked from his 41

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prison and pushed to the ground. He couldn’t even get the hood off his head before the first boot hit his ribs. Something cracked, and he bit through his lip to keep from screaming. He wasn’t going to give these animals any sort of satisfaction in knowing they hurt him. Wrapping his arms over his head, he tried to protect himself as best he could by curling into a fetal position and staying still. Oliver had no way of knowing how long the attack lasted. All he was aware of was pain and agony, darkness threatening his brain and wishing it was all over. Whether that meant he died or they walked away, he didn’t really care. It felt like every bone in his body was broken. Something must have caught their attention because the beating stopped and their footsteps rushed away. Oliver froze, listening as hard as he could over his own sobs as the roar of the truck told him they were leaving him behind. All he could do was thank God. Whimpers emerged from his mouth as he tugged the hood off his head and rolled onto his back. He was in a clearing somewhere and he stared up at the stars in the sky. Such a beautiful night, yet so much evil perpetrated below those twinkling lights. A twig broke in the trees surrounding him. Letting his head fall to the side, he stared in amazement as a large silvery grey timber wolf stepped from the forest. “Where did you come from?” he whispered. The wolf stalked up to him and licked him with a wet tongue. “You shouldn’t be here.” Something flashed in the wolf’s gaze that reminded Oliver of Jacob’s eyes when they were on the couch. He shifted slightly, and darkness swallowed him as agony rolled over every inch of his body. 42

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CHAPTER 6 The wolf whined and laid a paw on the human’s shoulder, but nothing happened. Lowering his nose, he sniffed and growled as the metallic scent of blood filled his nose. His human was injured and every instinct the wolf had told him to go and find the ones who hurt him. A twig snapped in the forest, causing the wolf to stare intently into the dark. Nothing moved beyond the clearing. While the alpha of the territory was abroad, all the other inhabitants watched to see where he went. Reluctance ran through him at the thought of leaving his human behind, but he couldn’t help him in wolf shape. He needed his human shape. Nothing dangerous wandered the area. The most evil of creatures had already left after doing the most damage they could. 43

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The wolf snorted softly. He knew there was worse those other humans could have done. They could have ended his human’s life. He licked the silent man’s cheek once more and whirled around to head home. He would get what was needed and bring the wounded man to his den. *

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Jacob jerked jeans out of his dresser along with a T-shirt and socks. He tugged his clothes on, tightly controlled. No one would ever guess how much he wanted to drive into town and tear apart every man he could smell on Oliver. God damn. How dare they touch him? Why was violence the only action humans understood to deal with differences? Bella whimpered as he stomped into his boots. Scratching behind her ears, he said, “We’re going to have a guest.” She nodded like she understood what he said. He might be a shifter, but that didn’t mean he could talk to animals. “I have to go get him.” He strolled out to the barn and saddled his mount. The second horse he harnessed and hooked a folded travois—or stretcher—to it. Grabbing the packed saddlebags, he attached them to his saddle and swung up. As he rode out, the dogs watched him, but they stayed. Their job was to keep an eye on the sleeping sheep and the buildings. The path was clear, so he wasn’t risking the horses. They trotted through the trees on the way to where Oliver lay. Teeth clenched, Jacob gripped the reins. He’d known the bastards would do something to Oliver, and he had warned the 44

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younger man, but Oliver trusted in the basic goodness of people. Jacob understood that Oliver had never seen the bad side of people. Unlike Jacob, who had seen the worst men were willing to do to each other and innocent creatures. As much as he wanted to run into town after getting Oliver settled, he wouldn’t. Nothing he did would fix their attitudes. As he rode into the clearing, his tension eased slightly. Oliver hadn’t moved from where Jacob had left him. After jumping off his horse, he knelt next to the younger man. He ran his fingers over Oliver’s cheek and while his skin was cool, it wasn’t cold. He leaned closer and spied the slow rising and falling of Oliver’s chest. Jacob quickly got the travois unfolded and hooked it up to the second horse. He pulled blankets out, laying one on the travois, and gently wrapping Oliver up in the second one. Oliver moaned. “It’s all right, honey. I won’t let anyone else hurt you again,” he murmured. He meant his promise. He hadn’t been able to save his pack, but he would do whatever he had to make sure Oliver never had another moment of pain. His wolf yipped in happiness at Jacob’s declaration. Jacob carried Oliver over and settled him on the travois, tying him down with straps, so Oliver wouldn’t slide out while they headed back to the house. Giving in, he brushed Oliver’s hair from his forehead and kissed his temple. After checking the straps and making sure they were secure, he mounted and encouraged his horse to go forward. He returned home slowly, trying not to jostle Oliver any more than necessary. Bella greeted them as they rode into the yard. She pawed at Oliver, whining and nudging the unconscious man with her nose. 45

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“Easy, Bella. Oliver’s hurt.” She backed off, letting Jacob get Oliver out of the travois and into the house. He settled his injured friend in the guest bed before taking care of the horses. On the way back up to Oliver’s room, he grabbed his cell phone. Sitting next to the bed, he turned the phone on and dialed a number he hadn’t dialed in years. It was easy to lose touch with people when choosing isolation over friendship. “Hello?” “Javier?” He bit his lip, staring at Oliver and remembering why he was doing it. “Jacob?” Surprise colored the voice on the other end. “Yes. I need your help.” And didn’t that cut deep into his pride. “Where do I need to come?” Thank God, that there were no questions to be asked. At least, not over the phone anyway. “My ranch outside of Red Cliff, Idaho.” “I’ll be there in four hours. What do you need me to bring?” Rustles and whispers came over the phone as the only friend Jacob had climbed out of bed. “I need you to bring a doctor.” He touched Oliver’s hand, concerned with the fact Oliver hadn’t regained consciousness yet. “What? Are you okay?” He nodded, then realized Javier couldn’t see him. “I’m fine. I need you to help out a friend of mine.” “You have a friend?” “Fuck you.” His curse had no heat in it. “You wish.” A pause, then Javier came back on. “We’ll be there in four hours and then you can tell me how you got a friend and what happened to him.” 46

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“I built a landing strip to the south of my place. I’ll give you the coordinates and make sure the lights are on for you to land.” “Thanks. Don’t worry; we’ll get your friend taken care of.” “I’ll be waiting.” He hung up and headed down stairs to his security room where he brought up the grid for the landing strip and turned the lights on. No one would see them and if someone wondered about the helicopter landing late at night, no one would have the nerve to come up and ask him about it. Help was on the way. He couldn’t help the melancholy wish he’d known Javier all those centuries ago when his pack was being killed by the humans. *

*

*

Barking caught Jacob’s attention and he pushed to his feet, stretching while he checked the clock. Hell, he’d been sitting at Oliver’s bedside for four hours, waiting and hoping for a sign that the blond had regained consciousness. He jogged down the stairs and out the door, spotting three men standing beside the truck he’d left for them at the landing strip. His dogs stood in a half circle in front of them, barking and growling. Not allowing the men to move from their spot. “Heel.” All the dogs backed off, coming to sit around his feet, while keeping their gazes on the strangers. “Quite a welcoming party you’ve got there.” The tall slender brunette strolled up to Jacob and hugged him hard. He wrapped his arms around Javier and held tight, absorbing the man’s strength for just a second. Bella bumped his knee with 47

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her head, drawing his attention away from Javier. “Thank you for coming.” Javier grinned. “When you ask for help, Jacob, I find I can’t deny you.” “Where’s the patient?” Jacob looked over Javier’s shoulder to where a short, portly man stood, holding a black bag in his hand. Another man leaned against the truck, arms crossed over his chest, and ankles crossed. “I’ll take you to him, Doctor, then we can take care of the introductions.” Jacob and the doctor entered first. Waving in the direction of the kitchen and living room, he said, “Make yourselves at home. There’s beer and food in the refrigerator. I’ll be back down in a minute.” The stranger followed them upstairs. Before Jacob could comment, the man said, “If he needs anything, I’ll be helping the doctor.” “Okay.” Jacob wasn’t in the mood to argue. He figured the man was Javier’s partner, Dillon, but didn’t want to waste time getting introduced. “What happened?” The doctor rushed to Oliver’s bedside and stripped the blankets off him. Jacob had already removed the bloodstained clothes and cleaned Oliver’s pale skin as best he could. Bruises covered most of his body, and Jacob swallowed the growl his wolf made at the sight of them. “He was beat up by several men. I’m not sure how many.” “Was he unconscious when you arrived?” “Yes. He hasn’t been awake since I got him here. I know I 48

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shouldn’t have moved him, but I couldn’t risk leaving him out in the woods.” “That’s all right. Just get out of here and let me look him over.” The doctor waved him out of the room. Dillon nodded at him to let him know it would be okay. Jacob wandered down the stairs, not wanting to leave Oliver with strangers, but he knew he’d just be in the way. When he walked into the kitchen, Javier turned from the stove with a plate of eggs and bacon. “I thought you’d be hungry. Shifting takes a lot of energy.” Javier was the only living person who knew Jacob could shift. Of course, it helped that Javier was a jaguar shifter from northern Mexico. Jacob’s clan came from the ancient territory of the Incans. “Thanks for everything, Javier. I know it’s been a long time since we’ve talked, but you were the only one I could think of.” “Why not take him to the doctor in town?” Javier sat down at the table with him and watched him eat. Jacob snarled. “Those bastards in town were the ones who beat him up. When I got there, they were kicking him and all he could do was lie there and protect his head. I made a noise and they ran off.” “You don’t think they’re trying to kill him again, do you?” Javier frowned. “What did he do? Hit on one of them?” “Why would you think that?” He shrugged. “Have no real idea. Just trying to figure out why they’d take him out and beat the shit out of him.” “He works for the Department of Interior, working to reintroduce wolves to the area. I think the ranchers around here are still afraid that the wolves will attack their herds. Plus they’re a bunch of rednecks who hate the government and took their anger 49

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out on him.” Jacob pushed his plate away and slammed his hand on the table. “Damn. They knew he couldn’t fight back.” Javier picked up the plate and carried it to the sink. “Don’t worry. Doc’s a good one. He’ll get your friend up and healthy in no time.” “Does Dillon know?” Why did he ask that? Why did it matter whether Javier told Dillon about his shifting? “Yes, I know.” He glanced up to see Dillon leaning in the doorway of the kitchen. “The doctor’s almost done. He’ll be down after he gives your friend something for the pain.” “Will Ollie be okay?” “Ollie?” Javier’s eyebrows shot up, and his friend glanced over at Dillon with a surprised look on his face. “His name’s Oliver Wingate.” “Yes, Ollie will be fine. It’ll take a while for him to recover. He has several broken ribs and a bruised kidney. He’s beat up pretty badly, but he won’t die.” The doctor bustled in, headed to the sink, and washed his hands. “I’ll leave you instructions, antibiotics, and pain medicine. We don’t need to take him to a hospital.” “How do you know there isn’t any internal bleeding? Shouldn’t you take him to get x-rayed or something like that?” After settling next to Javier at the counter, Dillon rested his hand on Javier’s hip. “I looked him over. Trust me. I know he isn’t in danger of bleeding out internally or anything like that.” Jacob was about to ask how Dillon knew, but he caught the slight shake of Javier’s head, and let Dillon’s comment pass. He stood to offer the doctor his hand. “Thank you for coming all this way to check Ollie over.” 50

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“No problem. I owe Mr. Hernandez a great deal. Anyway I can help him out, I will.” They watched the doctor write out the instructions and hand Jacob some bottles with pills in them. Dillon pushed away from Javier and gestured for the doctor to follow him. “I’ll drive Doc back up to the helicopter. He can catch a ride back.” “Good idea. I’ll grab our bags and get our room ready.” Javier brushed a kiss over Dillon’s cheek before herding Jacob up the stairs. “You’re staying?” Jacob stopped outside Ollie’s room. “Yes. We’ll stay a day or two until you’re used to taking care of Oliver. You need a friend or two to have your back.” “What about Dillon?” His friend grinned. “We’ll talk about him later.” Jacob accepted Javier’s boundaries. He slapped the man on the shoulder. “I do thank you for coming out here, Javier. You were the only one I could think of to help me out.” “I still don’t know why you won’t take him to the hospital.” “Humans have never done anything for me. I don’t trust them to take care of Ollie.” He glanced into the darkened room where Ollie lay under the blankets. “I couldn’t do anything to protect my pack. I’m not going to risk his getting hurt again.” “He means that much to you?” Javier sounded shocked. “I have the uneasy feeling he’s going to mean everything to me before long.” He stepped into the room, shutting Javier out. Stripping, he stood and looked down at Oliver. Jacob shifted and curled up on the floor on Oliver’s side of the bed. While he might want to sleep with the man, he knew Oliver needed to heal before they could 51

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share their bodies with each other.

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CHAPTER 7 A gentle brush of a hand over his forehead woke Oliver and he jerked away from the touch. Whimpers burst from his throat as pain washed over him. “Hush, honey.” An accented voice filled his ear. “You’re okay.” He shook his head. He didn’t know that voice. The last he remembered he was curled in the dirt and leaves of the forest, getting the crap beat out of him by a bunch of ignorant men. He tried to push the voice away. He struggled to move and free himself. Oliver didn’t know where he was. All he knew was he had to save himself because those men were intent on killing him. “Jacob, get your ass in here,” the voice barked. Jacob? Oliver frowned. Why would Jacob be wherever Oliver 53

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was? The man didn’t want anything to do with Oliver the other night, even when Oliver had been willing to give him everything. Oliver flailed, knowing he had to get out, but each time he moved, agony swamped him, stealing his breath and making tears well behind his eyelids. “Ollie, you have to open your eyes. You’re safe. I promise no one is going to hurt you. Never again will you be hurt. I promise.” Screwing his eyelids tighter, Oliver shook his head. He didn’t want to open his eyes and discover it was all a pain-induced hallucination. He would find he was still lying in the woods, cold and hurt. Wait. Hadn’t he seen a wolf? He remembered there being a wolf at some point during the beating. A heavy, but warm, hand landed on his chest, pinning him to the soft material under his back and causing him to freeze. The ground shouldn’t be this forgiving and he shouldn’t be this warm. “Come on, sweetheart. You can do it. Open those pretty eyes of yours and prove to yourself that you’re okay. I’ll be right here and I won’t let anyone touch you again.” Jacob’s growling words commanded Oliver’s obedience. He pried his eyes open slightly and stared up into Jacob’s dark, worried gaze. Gasping, he reached out and touched Jacob’s face. “There we go. I knew you’d be able to do it. Try not to move too much. You’re still healing from the beating those assholes gave you.” Jacob snarled in anger, though Oliver knew the man’s anger wasn’t directed at him. At least he assumed it wasn’t since he didn’t do anything wrong. “Where am I?” He forced the question from between dry lips. “You’re at my house.” A glass with a straw appeared from over Jacob’s shoulder. 54

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“Here’s some water for him. Don’t drink too much at once. Also, here’s a pain pill. It’s not as strong as the stuff we’ve been giving him, but it’ll help dull the aches a little.” Oliver wiggled, trying to see past Jacob’s broad chest. He wanted to know who belonged to that accented voice. Jacob rolled his eyes and settled on the bed next to Oliver’s hip, revealing the slender man standing behind him. “Who’s that?” Oliver shot a questioning look at Jacob. “He’s a friend of mine. He and his lover brought a doctor to look at you after I got you back to my house two nights ago.” “You have friends?” The stranger snorted, but something else Jacob said struck Oliver. “Wait. I’ve been unconscious for two days? I need to call Lizzie. She’ll be freaking out. I call her every day.” Oliver tried to sit up and climb out of bed. Jacob pressed him gently back on the mattress. For the first time, Oliver noticed he was naked and Jacob’s rough skin caressed his bare chest more than touched it. Oliver’s nipples hardened, and he fought the urge to yank the blankets up to hide his reaction to Jacob’s nearness. “Don’t worry. I called Lizzie for you. She knows what happened, and I had to promise her that you’d call her the minute you woke up to keep her from coming out here again. I didn’t want her to cart Bobby back so soon.” “I’m Javier Hernandez.” Javier smiled at Oliver, holding up a phone. “Take your pills and then we’ll leave you alone to call your sister.” Jacob started to shake his head, but Javier poked him in the arm. 55

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“Yes, we will.” The big man glared over his shoulder at Javier, and Oliver thought he would protest. Javier raised his eyebrows, daring Jacob to say something. Sighing, Jacob turned and pressed the straw to Oliver’s lips. “Drink, take your pills, and call your sister. After that, if you want to talk, I’ll fill in the blanks for you.” He nodded, dutifully took his medicine, and eagerly grabbed the phone Javier held out to him. Oliver didn’t notice the other men leave the room as he dialed his sister’s number. “Oliver?” “Yes, Lizzie. I’m okay.” “Oh, thank God. I’ve been so worried. Especially when you didn’t call me and then some stranger called to tell me that you were hurt. Who is that guy? Why is he taking care of you? Why aren’t you in a hospital?” “Ummm…well, Jacob is the guy Bobby talked to about green beans at the grocery store. I guess I ended up on his land when the guys kidnapped and beat me up. He must’ve found me and decided to take care of me himself. Jacob’s friend brought a doctor to look at me.” Oliver frowned. “If I was seriously injured, I’m sure he’d have taken me to the hospital, but I think it was only bruises.” As he pushed up to lean against the headboard, his ribs twinged and he grimaced. “And maybe a cracked rib or two. Nothing that time can’t heal.” “Oh, Oliver, what happened?” Lizzie asked, her relief evident, but worry still coloring her voice. “I guess the townsfolk decided to take care of their perceived government problem by beating me. I’ll be honest with you, Lizzie. I figured they were going to kill me and leave my body out 56

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in the forest, so no one could find me. I didn’t want to die, but I was prepared for it to happen.” Lizzie remained silent for a minute before continuing, “What made them stop?” He remembered the silvery grey timber wolf stepping from the tree line and staring at Oliver. “I don’t know for sure. I think there was a noise in the trees that surrounded the clearing and it scared them away.” Movement at the corner of his eye drew his attention to the doorway where Jacob leaned against the frame, hands tucked into the back pockets of his jeans. Oliver tried not to stare at the rather impressive bulge the tight denim revealed. “Lizzie, I’ll call you tonight when I’m a little more awake, okay?” “Sure, Oliver. Please tell Jacob thank you again from Bobby and me. If he hadn’t found you, we could’ve lost you.” Lizzie hung up. Oliver shut the phone and let it drop on the blankets as he stared at Jacob. The big man strolled in, then took a seat on the bed next to Oliver. The heat emanating from Jacob seeped through the coverings and into Oliver’s skin, making him ache with something other than pain. Jacob cradled Oliver’s face in his hands and leaned forward, whispering a kiss over Oliver’s split lips. As much as Oliver wanted the kiss to be harder and deeper, he knew his mouth couldn’t handle that at the moment. He let the barely-there touches continue for a few minutes until he remembered that this man had walked away from him, leaving him aching and wanting with unfulfilled lust. “No.” 57

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Just that one word caused Jacob to back off. His hands dropped away to rest on Oliver’s thigh. Desire burned in his gaze, but he didn’t try to touch him again. “How did you find me?” Oliver wasn’t ready to discuss their attraction and Jacob’s withdrawal. “I have a warning system that tells me if someone has entered my territory.” “Territory? Don’t you mean property?” Jacob shrugged. “Call it what you want. The alarms went off, and I knew which quadrant was breached. I went out there and found you.” “Did you see my attackers?” “No.” He might deny it, but Oliver saw something in Jacob’s face that said the man wasn’t telling him the whole truth. He decided to let that go as well. There would be time enough to figure out what secrets Jacob hid behind his tough exterior. “Who is Javier?” “He and I served in the same military unit for several years. Javier is probably the only person I trust to have my back when things go to shit.” Studying Jacob, Oliver tilted his head and hummed under his breath. “It surprises you that I’d have a friend to go to if I needed help.” Jacob grinned slightly. Oliver inclined his head. “A little, but more because it amazes me that there’s a situation you wouldn’t be able to handle on your own.” Pushing to his feet, Jacob paced over to the window and stared out at the sheep pens. “Trust me, Ollie. I’ve come across quite a 58

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few situations where I couldn’t solve the problem all on my own. It took me a long time to trust and so far, Javier hasn’t disappointed me.” “Are you lovers?” Oliver slapped his hand over his mouth. Gummi Bears, he hadn’t meant to ask that. It wasn’t any of his business. Jacob shocked him by bursting into laughter. Somehow, Jacob’s mirth sounded rusty, like the man hadn’t laughed in years. “God, no. Javier and I are too alpha to allow anyone else dominate us. We’d probably kill each other if we ever tried sleeping together.” “If that didn’t happen, I’d have to kill you…and it wouldn’t be pretty. I know what to do with the bodies once they’re dead.” Another man walked into Oliver’s room. This one was big, but not as muscular as Jacob. His blond hair was cut in a high-n-tight like Brian always wore his. His green eyes held darkness, like he held a secret close to his heart. What could Jacob and this man know that would stain them in such a way, causing them to close themselves away from the world? “Oliver Wingate, I’d like you to meet Dillon Hernandez. He’s Javier’s partner.” “Hello.” Oliver smiled hesitatingly at Dillon. “It’s good to finally be able to speak to you, Ollie. I’d like to look over your bruises and your ribs. It won’t take long and Javier will be bringing up some food for you. After you eat, maybe Jacob can help you to the bathroom because I’m sure you’d like to clean up.” As Dillon pulled back the blankets, revealing Oliver’s bruised and battered body, Oliver blushed. He wasn’t used to having two gorgeous men stare at his naked body. Dillon left the sheet 59

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covering Oliver’s groin, and Oliver was happy about that. No need for either man to see how having Jacob in the same room with him made Oliver’s cock stand up and take notice. A low rumbling sounded as Dillon trailed his hands over Oliver. Looking over at Jacob, Oliver noticed how the man’s hands clenched into fists as if he restrained himself from jerking Dillon away from Oliver. It was like he didn’t want Dillon near Oliver, which was strange considering the first time they kissed, Jacob raced out of the room like his pants were on fire. Tension filled the room, and Oliver stiffened, trying to figure out what was going on. Dillon ignored the way Jacob seemed to be looming over him. He finished his exam and covered Oliver back up, patting Oliver’s shoulder after he stood. “You’re doing great. I’ll go down and let Javier know he can bring up the food now. Jacob, if you can stop being a jealous ass, why don’t you help Oliver to the bathroom? He’s probably ready to explode by now.” Dillon started to leave the room. He turned back and said, “You can take a shower after you eat.” “Thank you.” Jacob yanked the sheets off Oliver before scooping him up in his arms and carrying him into the adjoining bathroom. Oliver found himself standing in front of the toilet without having a chance to protest. He caught Jacob’s arm as the man retreated from the room. “Wait. Why would you be jealous?” “You’re mine, and I don’t want anyone else touching you. Not even to help heal you.” Shock rippled through Oliver. He’d never been claimed that way, and not by a man he knew nothing about and who he was still mad at. 60

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CHAPTER 8 Jacob watched as Oliver and Dillon wandered along the fence line down by the sheeps’ pen. A few days had passed since he brought Oliver into his house, and the younger man had been healing a little faster than Jacob would have expected. He sensed movement behind him and spoke. “Are you ever going to tell me what exactly Dillon is?” A soft snort reached his ears and Javier bumped his shoulder. “I can’t really explain what he is. A healer possibly.” “A healer like the kind my grandfather spoke to me about?” Javier shrugged. “I’m not sure what you were told. My mother told me about healers who could use the energy of the world around them to help the wounded. She said they are far rarer than shifters.” 61

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“Yet you found one,” he pointed out. Dillon reached and laid a hand at the small of Oliver’s back. Jacob bit back a growl as his superior sight noticed a slight glow emanating from Dillon and that was the only reason why he didn’t jump off the deck to remove that touch. “You need to rein in your wolf, my friend. Dillon isn’t interested in your Ollie. All he wants is to make sure the young man heals properly.” Javier chuckled. “Once that happens, we’ll be out of your hair and you can claim Ollie as your own.” He grunted. “I’m not sure claiming him would be the best thing.” “Why not? I have to admit, though, he does seem to be slightly annoyed with you.” “It could be because when he came out to talk to me about the wolves, I jumped him and we were on the couch, about to have sex, when he said something to me. I walked out on him.” Javier glanced at him. “You left him hanging? I know you’re an ass, Jacob, but I never thought you’d do that to a guy.” Turning his back on the scene before him, Jacob stared into his house and rested his hands on his hips. “I can’t tell him what I am, Javier. He’d never believe me.” “Really?” Javier’s eyebrows shot up. “Do you seriously believe anyone would accept the fact you can turn into a wolf without thinking you’re talking crazy?” “How did Dillon take it when you told him?” His friend shook his head. “Not the same situation, man. Dillon’s known about shifters his entire life. His family’s passed down legends about us, probably from when we lived together in South America. There were healers living with each species of shifters, ones who were specifically taught about the ones they 62

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chose to intermingle with.” “So Dillon is a cat healer?” Jacob had only heard about healers in legends his grandfather had told him. He’d been young and uninterested in the myths and stories of their past. Now he regretted every missed opportunity. Javier shrugged. “I’m not sure. He doesn’t seem limited to working on just me. I found him doing missionary work in the Amazon. He’s a real doctor besides being a natural healer.” “Makes sense,” Jacob muttered. A loud cough drew their attention, and they turned back to see Dillon and Oliver making their way toward them. Oliver looked pale and, without thinking, Jacob stalked over to them. He glared at Dillon as he swept Oliver into his arms. Dillon stepped back, holding his hands up in the air. “I thought you were supposed to keep an eye on him,” Jacob snarled out the words. “I’m fine. You can put me down now.” Oliver wiggled, trying to escape, but Jacob wasn’t going to let go. He wasn’t about to let anything happen to his soon-to-be lover. When Dillon declared Oliver recovered, Jacob would pick up where he left off that day they first kissed. “Put me down now,” Oliver demanded. They were inside the house, so he set Oliver down on his feet. The blond folded his arms and glared at him. Dillon and Javier slipped by, sneaking into the living room where they could eavesdrop, but not get caught by Oliver. “We have to talk.” Oliver’s blue eyes gleamed with determination. Jacob wasn’t going to be able to avoid discussing the more intimate encounter they’d had a few days ago. He fought the urge to shuffle his feet 63

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and stare at the ground. “Do you have a wolf around here?” His head shot up as shock raced through him. “A wolf?” Playing stupid had worked for him before. Oliver rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. “I was probably hallucinating from the pain after those jerks left. I thought it was a wolf.” “Maybe it was one of my dogs. They came with me when I investigated what set off my alarm.” He hid his hands behind his back and crossed his fingers. There wasn’t an alarm system on his property. His wolf had sensed their presence, even as far away as they were. He knew every inch of his territory and could tell when intruders entered. That was why he was there, and it was his presence that scared the men off before they could do more than beat up Oliver. “Hmmm…” Oliver didn’t sound convinced, but obviously didn’t feel like arguing about that. “Are you sure you don’t want to go and lie down? I could bring you some tea, Ollie.” Oliver waved his hand, ignoring Jacob’s suggestion. “I’m tired of lying around. You and I need to have a chat. What the heck is this Ollie stuff?” “Ummm…” Jacob glanced over Oliver’s shoulder to where Javier and Dillon stood. He shot them a pleading look. Javier bent double, silently laughing as Dillon simply shook his head. Fine, he’d deal with it without their help. “I don’t know. It just slipped out.” He peered at Oliver through his eyelashes, feeling foolish, but not sure how to get the man to forgive him. He was so used to not caring what others thought about him. Yet his feelings for Oliver wouldn’t allow him to let the 64

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man stay mad at him. “It just slipped out? What if I don’t like it?” Jacob shifted uncomfortably and his cheeks heated. “I’ll not call you that again?” Oliver eyed him, and he couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Finally, Oliver shook his head. “Call me what you want. I don’t really care one way or the other.” Oliver paced the length of the kitchen. “What I’m really interested in is what the fudge you were thinking when you left me lying on that couch?” “Ah.” “I mean, I didn’t say no or stop. All I did was say that this sort of thing didn’t happen to guys like me. I came out here to talk to you about the wolves. I wasn’t expecting to get kissed within an inch of my life.” Oliver held up a hand. “Don’t think I’m complaining or anything like that. It’s been a long time since I’ve been kissed like that. Five years, in fact. If you didn’t mean anything by those kisses, or you regret what you did, then I guess I can deal with that, but I’d like to hear your reasons from your own mouth. Not from my overactive imagination.” Jacob blinked, trying to keep track of what Oliver said. “Oh…it wasn’t you—” “It’s me,” Oliver mimicked before Jacob could finish. “I’ve heard that before. Don’t feed me that kind of bull, Jacob. You obviously aren’t attracted to me. Not like I thought you were. It was all my imagination or wishful thinking. What is it with me? You know, I’ve wondered why I just can’t seem to get a guy to stay interested in me. The only serious relationship I had probably would’ve lasted forever and I’d never have had to wonder about it, but then Brian died, and I’m stuck trying to do all this poop by myself again.” 65

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Dillon gestured for Jacob to do something, but Jacob wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. He didn’t know if Oliver would welcome him touching him again, or if the man was going to stop talking long enough for Jacob to say something. Oliver got to the edge of the kitchen and whirled around, his arms waving. “Maybe it’s because I don’t really know what to talk about. I can talk about wolves and conservation until I’m blue in the face, but any other kind of social situation, and I’m as awkward as a bull in a china shop. I never know what to say or how to act. I guess I don’t have any gaydar.” Jacob broke. Reaching out, he grabbed Oliver’s arms and dragged the man tight to him. With one arm around Oliver’s waist, and the other hand cupping the back of Oliver’s head, Jacob crashed his lips down onto Oliver’s. A soft gasp escaped from Oliver before Jacob swept his tongue in, relearning how Oliver tasted. His wolf whimpered, needing to claim Oliver in the most primitive and intimate of ways, but even though Jacob was out of practice with interacting with other men, he knew Oliver wasn’t ready, mentally or physically, for anything more than a kiss. Dillon would kick Jacob’s ass if Oliver ended up hurting again. Tilting Oliver’s head slightly to the left, he took the kiss deeper, making love to Oliver’s mouth like he wanted to do to the man’s body. Jacob forgot about Dillon and Javier watching from the living room. He forgot about everything except the man he held in his arms. Sliding his hands down, he cradled Oliver’s ass, rocking their groins together. “Oh,” Oliver whispered, and let his head drop to the side, giving Jacob access to his neck. Jacob nipped at the throbbing jugular before licking a line up to 66

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the soft, sensitive spot behind Oliver’s ear. He sucked on the small piece of skin, pinching it between his teeth, and marking Oliver the only way he could at the moment. “Please,” Oliver pleaded. A discreet cough broke Jacob’s concentration and he eased Oliver away from him. He kept his hold on the man, not allowing Oliver to free himself. He glared at Javier over Oliver’s shoulder. “I think it’s time for Ollie to eat something and rest.” The tone of Dillon’s voice said he wasn’t happy about Jacob’s manhandling of Oliver. Oliver blinked and then the prettiest shade of pink colored his cheeks. He started to struggle to get away from Jacob. “Stop it,” Jacob growled out. Freezing, Oliver stared down at the floor. Jacob sighed and loosened his hold on Oliver. “Sorry.” He led Oliver to a chair and gestured for him to sit. Crouching down next to Oliver, he rested his hand on the man’s knee. “I’m stopping this because you still need to rest and eat. I’m not going to walk away this time.” He squeezed lightly. “Trust me. I’ll explain what I was thinking at a later date, though I’ll admit I was an idiot. I’m sorry I left you hanging and without an explanation.” Oliver nodded, but still looked unsure and off-balance. Jacob shot to his feet and nodded to Javier who dug through the refrigerator for their dinner. “What do you do for a living, Ollie?” Dillon paused. “Or would you prefer to be called Oliver?” “Ollie’s fine. I’ve never had a nickname before.” Oliver managed a shaking smile for Dillon. “Ollie it is then.” Dillon trailed his hand over Javier’s ass 67

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before reaching to get glasses out of the cupboard. “Javier and Jacob retrieved your belongings from the house you rented in town, so you should be able to start work again.” “Oh, good. I don’t want what happened to me to delay the process of re-introduction.” “Hmmm…” Dillon’s hum held a question. Jacob sat at the table, letting Dillon and Javier cook dinner for them. He watched and listened while Oliver told his friends about bringing the wolves back to Idaho. Oliver’s eyes sparkled with joy as he described the work involved. The man had been hot when they first met, but fuck, he was gorgeous now. Closing his eyes, Jacob took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the only man both his wolf and his human sides found attractive. There was no way they could let Oliver go now. He’d just have to find a way to keep the man with him. Maybe someday Jacob would share his deepest secret with Oliver.

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CHAPTER 9 Dillon turned to hug Oliver. “Take care of yourself and don’t let Jacob run roughshod over you.” Oliver closed his eyes and absorbed the gentle, warm touch of his new friend. He would miss both Dillon and Javier. He didn’t make friends easily, yet something about both men made him feel safe. Not quite as safe as when he was around Jacob, but he figured that had more to do with the fact a wicked attraction had flared between them. “I’ll try not to,” he whispered to Dillon. “He’s used to getting his own way, plus he’s been away from society for a long time. Very much a lone wolf.” Dillon looked over to where Jacob and Javier were saying good-bye. “There are some wounds not even healers can fix. The only thing that can do 69

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it is love.” “But I don’t—” Dillon’s finger on his lips stopped Oliver’s words and shook his head. “I’m not blind. I see it every time he looks at you.” “There’s no such thing as love at first sight. Maybe lust at first glance, which I definitely have for him,” Oliver admitted, his cheeks flushing as he thought about what he said. “Oh, I know. They are rather drool-worthy, aren’t they?” Dillon’s eyes twinkled as they both stared at the other men. “Don’t let him push you away, Oliver. No matter what he says or does, don’t turn your back on him. He needs more in his life than just his dogs and sheep.” “I’ll try,” he promised again. “That’s all any of us can do.” Oliver stepped away as Javier came to give him a gentle hug. He accepted it with a smile. Jacob growled low in his throat when Javier didn’t let go fast enough. Oliver giggled as Javier rolled his eyes at Jacob. “I’m not trying to steal him away, jackass. Dillon would have my balls if I did.” “I don’t know. Oliver’s pretty cute. I just might be willing to share him with you.” The teasing tone of Dillon’s voice told Oliver he was just joking, but Jacob obviously didn’t hear it. Caught tight in Jacob’s arms, Oliver felt every ridge and bulge of the man’s body, especially the rather impressive length in the front of Jacob’s jeans. “Mine.” Jacob lifted his upper lip in a snarl. Javier snickered and Dillon ignored Jacob’s dark expression to slap the man on the shoulder. “Dude, you have to calm down. I’m not taking Ollie away from 70

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you. I have my hands full with this idiot.” Dillon gestured at Javier. “Hey,” Javier protested. “We’ll see you guys later. Call us if you need anything else.” Oliver pried one of his arms free from Jacob’s bear hug to wave as Dillon and Javier climbed on the small jet waiting for them at Jacob’s landing strip. It was only after the plane took off that Jacob let him go. “Geez, were you afraid I’d go running after them if you didn’t have a hold on me?” He glanced up at Jacob. The faint hint of red under Jacob’s olive skin told Oliver that was exactly what Jacob worried about. Being bold didn’t come easily to Oliver, but he knew he needed to do something to put Jacob at ease. Pushing up on his toes, Oliver wrapped his arms around Jacob’s broad shoulders and brought the man’s head down to his. Their lips touched, and he gasped as Jacob gripped his butt, lifting him so he had to encircle Jacob’s waist with his legs. He rubbed his erection against Jacob’s abs, moaning when Jacob shuddered. He liked knowing he could make such a big man shiver. “Jacob, please.” He wasn’t even sure what he was asking for. Jacob grunted and started walking toward the truck they’d driven out to the strip. He bit back a protest as Jacob set him on the tailgate. “Stay.” “Where would I go? I’m certainly not going to walk back to your house. Heck, I don’t even know which direction to go in. It’s not like I grew up in the country and can tell north by the position of the sun in the sky.” Fudge. He was babbling again. Not very sexy, to his way of 71

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thinking. Jacob had to be getting a little annoyed at the way he chattered all the time. Oliver closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The rich musky scent he’d come to associate with Jacob filled his nose. His eyes popped open. Jacob stood in front of him, holding two blankets in his arms. “We need blankets. Messing around on the ground will be hell on your skin and bruises.” Messing around? Oliver’s heartbeat sped up when he realized what Jacob was talking about. He glanced around them. The clearing was empty of all life except them. “Here?” The big man nodded. “I told you we’d finish what we started when Dillon and Javier left. I’m going to wait any more. I screwed up and you left the last time. This time, no one’s leaving until you’ve been good and fucked.” Oliver’s chest constricted and his breathing almost stopped for a second. The words “good and fucked” caused his hole to spasm, and he did a full body shiver at the thought of Jacob taking him out in the open. Graham crackers, would he be enough for Jacob? He’d only had one lover in his life and that was a long time ago. Oh, it wasn’t like his heart died when Brian did. It was more like Oliver retreated to his usual shy and awkward self, which didn’t make it easy to date or find anyone interested in more than a one-night stand. Oliver had never been into those. He knew he’d end up feeling dirty and used after something like that. Jacob moved closer to him, and he held up his hand. Asking this question could ruin everything, but Oliver had to know, for his own peace of mind. “Is this more than lust?” 72

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Freezing, Jacob stared at him with dark eyes, studying him and Oliver fidgeted. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked. “Yes.” One word, and yet that single word held hope and promise. “Okay.” He held out his hand, offering more than help to Jacob. Jacob hesitated for a second before taking Oliver’s hand and steadying him as he climbed down. He allowed Jacob to lead him to a small clearing a little ways away from the landing strip. Tucking his hands in his pockets to hide the trembling, he watched as Jacob shook out the blankets and laid them out, creating a soft place for them. Jacob stood and stripped out of his shirt. Oliver groaned at the sight of all that skin, muscles, and chest hair. Without thinking, he stepped forward and placed his hand on Jacob’s chest, stroking his fingers through the crisp curls covering Jacob’s pecs until he reached one dusky brown nipple. A low rumble sounded in Jacob’s throat when Oliver scraped a nail over the hard nub. “Naked. Now.” Desire seemed to take away Jacob’s ability to string together words into sentences. Oliver wasn’t complaining, though. He tugged off his T-shirt and dropped it to the ground. “I’m not as buff as you are. Just skinny and pale.” “Shut up.” “Okay.” He closed his mouth with a snap. Jacob closed his eyes and breathed deeply, seeming to gain some kind of control. When he gazed at Oliver again, lust, need, and caring shone in his eyes. “You’re perfect the way you are. You’re not skinny or pale.” Jacob tore open his jeans and got rid of them, then motioning to his 73

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cock jutting out of a nest of dark curls. “If I didn’t find you sexy as hell, my cock wouldn’t be aching like it is now.” Oliver blushed, but edged closer and wrapped his hand around Jacob’s thick shaft. He lifted his chin as he pumped, slow and easy. Jacob’s lips crashed down onto his, and he opened to the invasion of Jacob’s tongue. Up and down, he gripped the hot, throbbing flesh with his fingers, pausing only at the crown of Jacob’s cock to swipe his thumb over the spongy head. The pre-cum he gathered there helped with the friction of jacking Jacob off. Jacob’s large hands landed on Oliver’s butt, squeezing so hard, Oliver knew he’d have bruises there tomorrow. He kept up the rhythm of pleasure while Jacob devoured his mouth, nipping his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. The pain skittered down Oliver’s spine, but Jacob bathed the bite, taking the sting away. Seemingly impossible, Jacob’s cock swelled even more and his lover growled. “You have too many clothes on,” Jacob muttered. “I want to be inside you when I come.” Oliver couldn’t get his mouth to work, so he nodded before stepping back and scrambling to get his jeans off. Jacob dug through the pockets of his discarded pants, grinning in triumph as he held up a condom and a one-time packet of lube. “Came prepared, huh?” He winked at the big man. Jacob blushed again, but pointed at the blanket. “I told you I’d finish what we started. I didn’t plan on waiting much longer. I probably would’ve shoved them on the plane if they’d stayed for another day.” No one had been that eager for him. Not even Brian. Oliver shut his eyes and banished thoughts of Brian. It wasn’t fair to either Jacob or Brian for Oliver to compare them. They were two 74

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different men, and Oliver’s life was different from the way it was when he met Brian. He dropped to his hands and knees in the middle of the blanket. A stinging slap to his butt brought his head around as he glared at Jacob. “What was that for?” “I want you on your back. I need to see your face while I fuck you.” Need? What an odd choice of words, but Oliver wasn’t going to argue with that. He rolled onto his back, caught his legs behind the knees, and pulled them up and apart. Jacob inhaled sharply, and Oliver hid his smile at the lust flaring in the man’s eyes. The lube packet got ripped open and slick squirted onto Jacob’s fingers. Oliver kept his gaze on Jacob’s face as he slipped his fingers down Oliver’s crease to his opening. His hips lifted off the blankets as Jacob breached him with one, then two fingers, not rushing, but also not taking long. Oliver was just as eager as Jacob appeared to be, so he encouraged Jacob in every way he could. “Please, Jacob, don’t take too long,” he begged, rocking his entire body and taking Jacob’s fingers in as deep as he could. “I don’t want to hurt you, Ollie. You’re so tight.” Jacob pressed three of his fingers in, managing to nail Oliver’s gland with them. “Fuck me, Jacob. Now.” Oliver’s balls drew tight to his body and he knew, if Jacob didn’t shove his cock inside him at that moment, he’d come without Jacob. “Just a sec.” Rising up slightly, he glanced down to see Jacob rock back on his heels and tear open the foil package with his teeth. Jacob rolled the condom onto his dick and slicked more lube over it. He took 75

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Oliver’s legs and placed them over his shoulders, while he positioned the head of his dick at Oliver’s stretched hole. They cried out as Jacob plunged in, not stopping until he was buried so deep inside Oliver it seemed like their very bodies merged into one. Jacob paused, and Oliver cradled him in his arms, panting while he tried to relax. His inner passage hadn’t been so full in years and he needed to adjust to Jacob’s size. “Ollie?” Concern danced in Jacob’s whisper. “It’s all right. Just give me a moment. It’s been a while since I’ve done this.” Jacob didn’t pull out, but he moved away a few inches to meet Oliver’s gaze. “How long has it been?” “Five years.” He ducked his head, not sure that discussing his lack of a sex life was appropriate at the moment. “Really? Why?” The burn disappeared, leaving only the pleasure, and Oliver angled his hips slightly, letting Jacob know he was ready. Jacob retreated until just the head of his cock remained inside Oliver. “Why has it been five years?” Jacob slammed back in before Oliver could answer. “Shit!” Oliver cried out as he came, spurts of pearly white cum painting his stomach and chest. His climax waved through him and he clung to Jacob who drove into him once, then a second time before throwing his head back and howling. His lover filled the condom with heat, tremors wracking his body as he rode out the waves of pleasure. “Jacob,” he whispered, resting his hand on Jacob’s heaving chest. Jacob looked at him, and Oliver gasped. Jacob’s eyes glowed amber like a wolf’s, something feral shining deep under the 76

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surface. “Jacob?” His lover blinked and the odd glow disappeared. Oliver shook his head as he decided he must have imagined it. No human’s eyes shone like that. His climax must have messed with his brain. Groaning, Jacob lowered Oliver’s legs to the blanket and rolled to his side. Oliver whimpered as Jacob’s soft cock left him, but he sighed when Jacob wrapped him in a close embrace. He snuggled closer, savoring the scent of sweat, sex, and Jacob. As he drifted off to sleep, he felt Jacob nuzzle his hair and whisper, “Mine.”

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CHAPTER 10 Jacob stared down at Oliver, sleeping in his arms, and marveled at how right he felt there. He’d never gotten this involved with someone, never allowed them to sleep in his bed. He glanced around…or blanket for that matter. Hell, not even when his family was alive. When you had as big a secret as he had, you didn’t have relationships with people who might ask questions. Oliver murmured and snuggled closer to him. Leaning down, he breathed in the fresh scent of Oliver’s hair and his cock stiffened. His wolf wanted to mate again with Oliver, take the smaller man again and again until he admitted he was Jacob’s. Oliver threw his leg over Jacob’s hip, bringing their pricks in contact with each other. With a soft growl, Jacob cradled the back of Oliver’s head in one hand, while slipping the other down to cup 78

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the firm flesh of Oliver’s ass. He rocked them together, enjoying the slide of his skin over Oliver’s. “Jacob,” Oliver murmured, arching his back and offering up more of his body to his lover. Jacob rolled Oliver onto his back, not losing their connection. Bracing his weight on his arms, he bent down and scraped his teeth over Oliver’s nipple. “Oh.” Tremors chased over Oliver’s body, goose bumps covering him. “You like that, honey?” A shaky nod of agreement brought a smile to Jacob’s face and he did it again. Only this time he caught the hard nub between his teeth and gave it a little tug. The slender man bucked, and they both moaned as his cock rubbed the entire length of Jacob’s. “Please.” Oliver closed and opened his hands on Jacob’s shoulders, unsure of what he wanted. “Talk to me, Oliver. What do you want?” “You,” Oliver gasped out. “Mmm…good answer, considering I want you as well.” Jacob bit down lightly on the side of Oliver’s neck, sucking up a mark before backing off. “Where do you want me?” “In me. Please, I need you inside me.” Jacob pressed his lips to Oliver’s ear. “What will you do if I don’t give you what you want?” Whimpering, Oliver pushed at him and slammed a fist into his shoulder. Jacob chuckled and dropped back on his heels, grabbing a condom and lube as he went. “I didn’t think you were a cock tease.” Oliver pouted, though his eyes stayed glued to Jacob’s shaft proudly jutting out from his 79

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groin. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m not teasing. I’ll give you everything you want.” He tapped Oliver’s thigh. “Hands and knees.” He laughed at the speed with which Oliver turned over and presented his ass to Jacob. After tearing open the foil packet, he rolled the rubber down over his shaft. A little bit of lube to coat it and some on his fingers to ease the way into Oliver, who was still stretched from their first encounter. Two fingers in, and Oliver pushed back, impaling himself on those digits. Jacob spread Oliver’s cheeks with one hand, teasing and tormenting him with touches and nips at his ass. It wasn’t very long before Oliver begged. “In me now, Jacob. I’m going to come and I want you inside when I do.” Oliver reached back, tugging on Jacob’s arm. “All right.” Jacob rose up on his knees, positioned his cock at Oliver’s entrance, and shoved in, not letting up until his balls hit the back of Oliver’s thighs. Oliver clamped down on him, tight and hot. He gripped his hips and retreated until just an inch remained inside, then he slammed back in. Again and again he stroked, his rhythm hard and fast. He didn’t give any quarter. Oliver was his, and he would mark him in every way possible. Folding over, he latched onto the nape of Oliver’s neck and bit hard enough to draw blood to the surface, but not break the skin. Oliver wasn’t ready for that yet, but Oliver took every savage thrust and bite with relish. Jacob rocked back, dragging Oliver up, plunging deep into his ass again. Oliver screamed and cum shot from his dick without Jacob ever touching it. Jacob pinched Oliver’s nipples and fondled his balls, trying to drag out Oliver’s climax until he drained the last drop of 80

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cum from him. “Jacob.” Oliver drooped in his arms, trembling as his climax drifted away. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” He shifted them to their sides and, clasping Oliver tight to him, he rode him hard until his own climax exploded through him. He filled the condom with cum while he shook like he had palsy. When thought finally returned to his brain, he took care of the rubber and cleaned them both up before cuddling with Oliver again. “Wow.” Jacob grunted in agreement. “Have I just been out of practice or was that, like mindblowing?” Oliver glanced over his shoulder at Jacob with a shocked expression on his face. “It couldn’t have been too mind-blowing since you’re still able to talk,” he teased. Oliver blushed, but giggled. “I’d probably have to be dead before I stopped talking.” A pain shot through Jacob’s chest at that statement. He didn’t want to think of Oliver dying, even though he knew his lover was joking. Something Oliver said before the first time they made love popped into the front of Jacob’s mind. “You haven’t had sex in five years?” Ducking his head, Oliver picked at the blanket under them. “No.” “Why not?” He couldn’t imagine going five years without sex. Hell, he wasn’t the friendliest guy in the world and he could still get laid when he went to San Francisco. “For a while, I was in mourning for my partner. After that, I 81

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never got any offers. I’m not the most outgoing guy. It’s kind of difficult for me to meet people.” “You mean no one has tried to get such a hot, sexy guy like you in bed before?” Oliver sighed and rolled over on his back so their gazes could meet. “Maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough. Like I said, I was mourning my partner and by the time the hurt faded a little, I was out of practice. It was easier just hanging out with Lizzie and her partner.” Jacob wasn’t surprised Oliver spent most of his time with his sister. He’d sensed their deep love for each other from the moment he talked to them. Faint pain echoed in his soul at the memory of his own brothers and sisters. It still hurt to know they would never be around to grow old with him. “You had a partner?” Jacob was intrigued because he never believed he’d find anyone who could accept him and all his secrets. “Yes. His name was Brian and he served in the National Guard.” He heard the pride in Oliver’s voice and brushed a kiss over Oliver’s cheek. “He must’ve been a great man. Not only did he serve his country, he loved you. So he had good taste as well.” Oliver blushed. “Thank you. Brian was my first serious relationship, and we were together for three years before he got sent to Iraq and died in a suicide bomb attack. It’s been five years. The first year was really hard. I used to go places we would go together and I’d think about him. Lizzie and Ruthie took me in. I became their babysitter after Lizzie had Bobby.” Jacob checked his watch and frowned. “I have to get back to 82

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the house. I need to make sure the dogs are doing okay with the sheep. I don’t like leaving them alone for so long.” “You don’t have any predators around to bother them.” Oliver accepted the clothes Jacob handed him. “Not totally true. We have cougars around, but for the most part, they stay away from my flock.” Jacob tugged on his jeans. “My dogs are some of the best herding dogs you’ll find in the country, but sometimes things happen that even they can’t deal with.” “I understand.” Oliver pulled his shirt over his head and slid into his jeans. “Can I go out with you when you go out there?” “Sure.” They gathered the rest of their stuff and climbed into the truck to go back to Jacob’s house. Once they were under way, Jacob got back to their conversation. “How did you meet Brian?” “We ended up in the same biology class together in college. Became lab partners and hit it off immediately. He waited until almost the end of the semester before asking me out. We went out, and the rest is history.” “Sounds like you’re one of the lucky ones,” Jacob murmured, keeping his eyes on the trail. “Lucky? What makes you say that?” Oliver’s question held surprise. “Oh, I know it hurt to lose him, but you found someone to love you. Maybe it wasn’t for as long as you wished. Yet there are a lot of people out there who never find the person meant for them.” “Did you ever find someone to love you?” He shook his head. “No. I mean, look around you. I don’t leave my ranch very often. Plus, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not the 83

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most likable guy. I tend to growl and grunt more than talk.” Oliver laughed. “That’s true, but you’re talking to me now.” “Guess sex loosens my tongue.” He winked at Oliver before looking back at the road. “Oh, I’ve had lovers, yet, for some reason, none of them have wanted to stay for long on my ranch. And I don’t see myself leaving for anyone.” Oliver stayed silent for a minute. “Why would you? Anyone can see what this place means to you, and if the man loves you, he wouldn’t ask you to give up something you care so much about.” Jacob nodded. “It’s been in my family since my ancestors came up here from South America.” “I wondered where your family came from. You definitely don’t look like the rest of the people in the town.” “You don’t know how happy that makes me.” Jacob pulled up in front of the house, and Bella climbed off the porch to approach them. “Do you still want to go out to the flock with me?” “Yes.” Oliver knelt to rub the dog’s ears. “Can you ride?” “I think we’ve proven I can ride.” Jacob froze and turned to look back at Oliver, who met his gaze with a shy but teasing grin. “Yes, we did prove that. I meant a horse.” “I’m a pretty good rider. I had to learn when I joined the DOI. Sometimes I have to go out into the woods to gather information.” Jacob gestured for Oliver to follow him. After giving Bella one final pat, Oliver caught up to Jacob at the barn. They brushed the horses and saddled them. As they rode out in the direction of the sheep, Jacob reached out and grabbed Oliver’s arm. Oliver turned to him, and Jacob leaned over to give the man a kiss. “What was that for?” 84

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Oliver studied him and Jacob felt his cheeks heat. “Don’t know. Guess I’m just glad that you’re here,” he admitted. Pulling his horse to a stop, Oliver motioned for Jacob to get near him. Jacob got as close as the horses would allow and he gasped as Oliver jerked him over to him. Their mouths crashed together, devouring each other. Finally, one of the horses shifted away from the other and they broke apart. Jacob adjusted his cock pressing against his zipper. “Thanks for that. Do you know how uncomfortable it is to ride with a hard-on?” he grumbled. Oliver laughed. “Guess I get to find out.” Jacob rolled his eyes and nudged his horse to move forward. “We have to help the dogs bring the flock back down, then I have to go over them to make sure there aren’t any injuries.” “I can help with that before I have to go and call my boss. I told him I’d get back to him in a day or two. He said he was sending out the other team members next week.” Oliver hesitated. “I should be able to get out of your hair then.” “What?” He glared at Oliver. “You’re not going anywhere. I’m keeping you here where I can protect you. I don’t trust those guys in Red Cliff not to try something else—against you or one of your team members.” Shaking his head, Oliver shrugged. “I appreciate you saving me and taking care of me, but come on, Jacob, you really don’t want me hanging around anymore.” “If I didn’t, why would I fuck you?” Jacob held onto the reins with one hand while shoving the other through his hair. “Jesus, Oliver, aren’t you worried you’ll get attacked again?” “I’m not going to hide away up here. The townsfolk are going 85

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to have to get used to the idea that wolves are coming back to Idaho. Besides which, an investigator from the FBI’s been in town for a while now, investigating my attack.” “Good. If I’d known how to do it, I’d have pressed charges against them for you, but I knew the sheriff wouldn’t do anything about it.” Jacob shifted. “I have pictures of your injuries if the agent needs them.” “Wonderful. I’m meeting him tomorrow.” “Where?” “In town.” Jacob shook his head again. “No. Call him and have him come up here. I don’t want you going back to that town until I can go with you.” “When did you appoint yourself my guardian?” Oliver folded his arms over his chest and glared at Jacob. “The minute I found you almost beaten to death in my territory. The moment I made love to you, I claimed you as mine. I’m not going to let you risk your safety when you can meet with the man here.” They rode on for a little while before Oliver sighed. “All right. I’m willing to meet with the agent here. I didn’t really want to go back to town by myself anyway.” Jacob smiled at him. “Thank you, honey. I knew you’d see it my way.” “Arrogant jerk,” Oliver muttered as they rode up on the flock.

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CHAPTER 11 Bella’s barking alerted Oliver that a truck was coming up the drive. Jacob had gone out to the flock, though he said he’d be back when the bureau agent showed. Oliver smiled at the way Jacob had growled at him after he’d told his lover he didn’t need Jacob to hold his hand. He was an adult, used to doing things on his own. Jacob had yanked him into his arms and kissed him, hard and possessively. Oliver’s mind had melted and he’d forgotten what they were arguing about until after Jacob left. The vehicle stopped and turned off. Oliver pushed open the front door, stepping out on the porch. The dogs had the man surrounded, while Bella joined Oliver. “Leave him be,” Oliver ordered. The dogs ignored him, and he frowned. He started to head out, 87

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but Bella sat in front of him, blocking his access to the stairs. “Bella, what are you doing?” “What she’s trained to do, protect you.” Jacob stalked around the corner of the house. His low whistle brought the dogs to him. “I’m Jacob Tasker.” The agent didn’t offer to shake hands with Jacob. “I’m going to pull my ID from my pocket.” Jacob inclined his head, like a king granting a boon to a subject. Oliver rolled his eyes. “When you’re done playing king of the manor, could you escort Agent Michaels in? I have coffee ready.” Oliver whirled around and strolled into the house, trying hard not to stomp and act like a child. Christ, the man’s arrogance was enough to try the patience of a saint, and Oliver never claimed to be one of those. “I appreciate you letting me come out here, Mr. Tasker. I need to talk to Mr. Wingate about the attack, but I don’t think he’d be welcomed back in Red Cliff.” Agent Michaels looked older than Jacob, around fifty or so. His short hair was streaked with gray, plus the lines around his mouth spoke of long and lonely hours spent searching out killers, robbers, and just plain evil people. The agent managed to keep himself in shape, but there was weariness about him that made Oliver want to hug Michaels and offer him a place to relax for a while. “I don’t trust those redneck assholes any farther than I could throw them,” Jacob snapped. “Probably a good idea. If I wasn’t used to keeping an eye out for an attack, I’d probably have ended up dead in a ravine somewhere nearby.” Agent Michaels turned to greet Oliver. “Mr. Wingate, I’m glad to see you’re doing well.” 88

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“Agent Michaels.” Oliver offered his hand. “Thank you for driving all the way out here.” “No problem, and please, call me Andrew.” “And you can call me Oliver.” He grinned at Andrew, ignoring the way Jacob loomed beside them. “Please come in and sit down. Would you like some coffee?” “I’d love some. Thank you.” Andrew sat down, tugging a notebook from his inside pocket. “Do you take sugar or milk?” he called over his shoulder as he went into the kitchen. “Just black.” Oliver reached up to pull out some coffee mugs. He hid his smile as Jacob crowded him against the counter. “What the hell are you doing?” Jacob pressed his lips against Oliver’s ear. “I’m just being nice to Agent Michaels since we’re inconveniencing him by making him come all the way out here.” He leaned back, allowing Jacob to take his weight. Jacob wrapped Oliver into a strong embrace, nuzzling Oliver’s neck. “It better be just being friendly. I don’t share at all, Ollie. Remember that.” Turning around, he stared at Jacob with just as fierce a glare as his lover gave him. “I don’t share either. I might not be big or scary like you, but I will fight for what’s mine.” The stunned look on Jacob’s face confused him. Was Jacob surprised Oliver would be so possessive or was it the fact someone would be willing to fight for him that shocked Jacob? “Okay. Now that we’ve established we’re in a serious monogamous relationship, we shouldn’t leave our guest waiting.” Jacob grabbed him and kissed him hard, biting his bottom lip 89

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and soothing it with his tongue. As much as Oliver wanted to lose himself in Jacob’s arms, the FBI couldn’t be put off anymore. He pushed away and shook his head at the handsome man. “Stop that. Take the coffee into the living room.” He pushed the tray into Jacob’s hands and shoved him toward the other room. After Jacob left, Oliver gave himself a hard thump. He didn’t want to get interviewed while sitting there with a hardon. Wandering in, he found Jacob telling Agent Michaels who he thought was responsible for the attack on Oliver. “Check out Von Hausling. He’s an idiot and wouldn’t have any problem beating a man smaller than him. Also, he’s a coward. If Oliver had been armed, he never would’ve attacked him.” Jacob’s teeth were clenched and his hands fisted on his thighs. “You said you had pictures of Oliver’s injuries. Do you have a doctor’s report?” Andrew wrote Jacob’s report down. “Yes. I’ll go get them.” They watched Jacob leave the room before Andrew turned to Oliver. “Seems a bit protective of you,” Andrew commented. Oliver ducked his head and blushed. “Well, he tends to get possessive of things that linger on his property. I think he begins to claim them as his. Comes from not leaving the place very often.” “You know, I did a background check on Jacob Tasker.” While Oliver’s curiosity was piqued, he didn’t raise to the bait. Whatever Jacob wanted Oliver to know, Jacob could tell him. He wasn’t going to learn it from a stranger. Oliver smiled blandly. “You wouldn’t be doing your job if you didn’t check on him.” “Aren’t you interested in knowing the man who rescued you?” “Not if he doesn’t want to tell me.” 90

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A noise drew his attention and he saw Jacob standing just inside the entrance from the hallway. The way the man’s head was tilted, Oliver knew he’d heard the exchange between Oliver and Andrew. Jacob walked over and handed Andrew a file. Passing Oliver, he stopped and cupped the back of Oliver’s head, bringing their mouths together. “Thank you,” Jacob whispered against his lips. “You’re welcome.” He knew exactly what Jacob was thanking him for. Andrew studied the pictures. “They worked you over pretty good.” “They’d have killed him if something hadn’t scared them.” Jacob leaned one shoulder against the fireplace mantel and folded his arms, frowning at Andrew. “More than likely. Why don’t you tell me what happened, Oliver?” Oliver didn’t really want to re-hash it, but he understood why it needed to be done. He settled back on the couch and clutched his coffee mug. Staring down into the dark liquid, he slowly told Andrew everything he remembered about that night. Well, everything except seeing the wolf right before he passed out. He’d been hallucinating because of the pain. While wolves had been reintroduced farther south in Idaho, none of the packs had migrated this far north yet. At least that’s what all the research said. Jacob growled low in his throat at the mention of Von Hausling grabbing Oliver and stuffing him in the trunk. Looking up, Oliver found himself caught in Jacob’s angry gaze. He knew his lover wasn’t angry at him, but there was something feral and dangerous in those odd hazel eyes. Something that reminded him of how the wolf had looked before Oliver lost consciousness. 91

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His voice trailed off and silence reigned in the room for a few second before Andrew cleared his throat. “Thank you, Oliver. I know it wasn’t easy to discuss it, but I have to say, you’ve recovered nicely.” “I had a good doctor and nurses taking care of me.” He flashed a smile over to Jacob, who snorted. Andrew shuffled the papers. “I see a doctor did see you, but you didn’t go to the hospital? Or report the crime to the local authorities?” “I know the local authorities, Agent Michaels, and they wouldn’t have done anything to solve this case. In fact, the sheriff is related to Von Hausling, and so are half the in-bred bastards in this county.” The agent nodded. “I understand. Corruption is still alive and well in some places.” Oliver stayed quiet. He wanted to get up and leave, go out to the barn, and pet the horses. Do anything except relive the terror of the beating he received. “Why don’t you go and see how Bella’s doing?” Jacob seemed to sense Oliver’s need. “Yes, I’ve got all I need from you at the moment.” Andrew stood and held out his hand to Oliver. “Thank you for meeting me, and I suggest you stay out here on Mr. Tasker’s ranch for as long as he lets you. Maybe even talk him into letting your team stay out here as well. Red Cliff doesn’t feel like a safe town to me.” “I’ll think about your suggestion, Andrew. I don’t like the idea of letting them run me out of town.” Oliver shook the agent’s hand before taking the cups into the kitchen. He could hear Jacob and Andrew talking, but he didn’t care what they had to say. All he wanted was to get away. Bella met 92

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him at the back door and she escorted him down to the barn where he fed carrots to the horses. He was petting the gelding he considered his when Jacob wrapped his arms around him from behind. Tilting his head, he gave access to Jacob, who nuzzled his neck. “You doing okay?” Jacob’s warm breath washed over Oliver’s skin, causing shivers to skate down his spine. “Yeah. I’m doing all right. It’s just hard to relive it, you know?” “Yes, I do know. I still have nightmares about some experiences in my past. It’ll fade in time.” He pushed his ass back against Jacob’s ridged length. Jacob growled again, and Oliver felt the sound deep in his chest and his cock stiffened. Gosh, he wanted Jacob to drag him up to the hayloft, bend him over a bale, and make love to him until he passed out. “Have you ever had a fantasy about being screwed in a barn?” Jacob murmured into Oliver’s ear as he slid one hand down to cup Oliver’s hard-on. “Are you reading my mind?” he joked and his giggle turned into a gasp when Jacob squeezed firmly. “No. I’m thinking the same thing you are, I bet.” Jacob let go of him, except to take his hand and lead him to the tack room. Oliver stood and watched as Jacob grabbed a couple of horse blankets and a couple of saddle pads. He followed Jacob silently when the man went into one of the empty stalls. There Jacob made them a nest of blankets, pads, and hay. Oliver started removing his clothes while Jacob worked, not 93

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wanting to wait any longer than he must to feel Jacob inside him. Jacob turned around and froze, his eyes wide as he caught sight of Oliver’s naked body. “Fuck me,” Jacob whispered, holding out his hand. “I think that’s my line.” Oliver grinned and winked, taking Jacob’s hand and letting him draw him to the blankets. He knelt, resting his hands on his thighs while Jacob stripped. Oliver ducked his head to hide his smile as clothes were tossed into corners, and Jacob snarled in impatience at reluctant buttons and zippers. Finally, Jacob stood before him, an ancient pagan god ready to claim his most devout worshipper. Jacob’s cock stood from its nest of dark hair, calling to Oliver with its glistening reddish head. Leaning forward, he circled that spongy crown with his tongue, savoring the taste of salt and male. He pressed the tip of his tongue into Jacob’s slit, gathering some of the pre-cum pooling there. Oliver hummed as Jacob’s big hands slid into his hair, holding him still as Jacob invaded his mouth. Jacob went slowly, in a clear effort not to overwhelm or gag Oliver, but Oliver wasn’t worried about it. All that mattered was to feel Jacob’s hard, hot flesh in his mouth. He braced his hands on Jacob’s thighs, relaxed his throat and took Jacob in as deep as he could. Another deep sound rumbled in Jacob’s chest, and Oliver looked up from where he knelt at Jacob’s feet. Jacob’s hazel eyes gleamed and the setting sunlight shining on them seemed to make them glow. Oliver tried to let Jacob know it was okay to move. His lover must have gotten the message because he began to rock his hips, sliding his cock in and out of Oliver’s mouth. He let his eyes drift close, sinking into the sensations of being taken. It wasn’t quite the same as the fullness of his ass when 94

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Jacob screwed him, but he knew that was coming. Oliver let go of Jacob with one hand to wrap it around his own prick. Stroking in rhythm with Jacob, Oliver could tell they were both getting close to the edge. Right before his climax could over take him, he pulled off Jacob and fell to his back. Spreading his legs, he sucked on his fingers, getting them good and wet. Jacob dropped to the ground between his thighs, spitting into his own palm and keeping his cock slick with saliva. Oliver only stretched himself for a few seconds. He didn’t care if there was some pain when Jacob took him. All he wanted was Jacob joined with him. “Wait.” He whimpered as Jacob scrambled across the stall to where his jeans lay in a pile. Oliver continued playing with his own ass while Jacob dug out a packet and tore it open, rolling the condom on. “Jacob,” he begged. “I’m here.” Jacob settled back between his legs, positioned his prick at Oliver’s opening and took him. Oliver’s hips arched off the blankets and he clenched the blankets under him. The burn was almost too much, and Jacob didn’t hesitate. He kept going until his pubic hair was crushed against Oliver’s skin. Pushing up on his elbows, Oliver glanced down to where Jacob and he were joined. He looked up to see Jacob doing the same. Jacob caressed that spot, and Oliver cried out. That soft touch drove him shoved him over the edge. His lover held him while he shuddered and painted their stomachs with thick ropes of cum. Only when Oliver dropped back to the blankets, spent and muscles like noodles, did Jacob move. No gentleness or softness. It was hard and fast, slamming into him and demanding Oliver take 95

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everything Jacob had. Jacob was like a machine, sweat dripping from his chin to drop and mix with the cum on Oliver’s chest. He didn’t know how long it took before Jacob shoved into him one last time and froze, his head thrown back as a howl erupted from the man’s lungs. Jacob’s hips moved in short thrusts while he filled the rubber. Jacob collapsed on him, and Oliver embraced the man, inhaling the scents of sweat, sex, and hay. Jacob nuzzled his shoulder, nipping and licking, while they regained their strength. Oliver trembled. Holy moly! Jacob was everything Oliver thought he’d never have another chance to have and he wasn’t going to give up this man. Not ever. “Mine,” Oliver whispered softly, not caring if Jacob could hear him or not. “Yours.” Jacob’s confirmation was just as soft, but it rang in Oliver’s ears as he slipped off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that he belonged to someone again.

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CHAPTER 12 A car door slammed, and Jacob stiffened before he remembered Ollie’s team was arriving that day. He grumbled softly to himself at the thought of his territory being invaded, yet his wolf wouldn’t allow him to let Ollie out of his sight. He finished brushing his horse. Ollie would greet everyone and get them situated at the guesthouse. There was no way in hell he would allow anyone besides Ollie in his personal space. After feeding the horses and checking on the sheep, he settled the dogs down. Gesturing to Bella, he headed toward the main house. He stopped and turned, staring out at the mountains behind his house. Everything in him demanded he change and run. Before Ollie, it had been a long time since he’d had anyone on 97

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his property beside himself. His wolf accepted Ollie’s presence because it claimed him as its mate. He didn’t know any of the other people coming, and even though Ollie vouched for them, he didn’t trust them. Jacob probably wouldn’t learn to trust them in the time they were there. His cell phone rang. Jacob dug it out of his pocket and checked the screen. Javier’s number came up on the ID. “Hola, Javier.” He propped his hip against the railing as he smiled. “Buenas noches, mi amigo.” Javier sounded happy. “How are you and Ollie doing?” “We’re doing good. I want to thank you and Dillon for coming to help me.” “That’s what friends are for, and our kind needs to stick together. There aren’t too many of us left in the world.” Javier sighed. “I’ve lost all of my family as well.” “But you have Dillon now, and he knows about you.” “When are you going to tell Ollie? Don’t you think he has the right to know?” He thought about Javier’s question and grunted. “I don’t know. Sure, he has the right to know about me, I guess, but I’ve seen what happens when someone can’t deal with the knowledge.” “Have you ever told anyone about your wolf?” Jacob shook his head, then remembered Javier couldn’t see him. “No, but one of my sisters did and the guy wanted to put her in a hospital because he thought she was crazy. She left the pack shortly after that, and I never heard from her again. I don’t know if she’s still alive, or what happened. She denied her wolf.” Javier’s indrawn breath told Jacob his friend understood how severe her denial was. 98

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“I learned humans weren’t to be trusted with the deepest secret I have.” Jacob shrugged. The door slammed behind him, causing him to turn around. Ollie stood with a questioning smile on his face. Javier, he mouthed. Ollie wandered over, slipped his arm around Jacob’s waist and said into the phone, “Hey, Javier.” Javier chuckled. “Hello, Ollie.” Jacob nuzzled Ollie’s blond hair and pressed his lips to his lover’s ear. “I’ll be in when I’m done.” “Okay. Tell Javier that he and Dillon need to come out and visit soon.” Ollie brushed a quick kiss over Jacob’s mouth before strolling back inside. “I heard him. Maybe we’ll be out for Christmas. It’s not like either of us have family to visit.” Closing his eyes, Jacob acknowledged one of the reasons why he and Javier had become friends while serving in the Special Forces. Both of them being shifters was just one of the things they had in common. The other reason was they’d both lost their families and had been alone most of their lives. It was only after they got out of the military that Javier had found Dillon. Now Jacob had Ollie and no matter what, he wasn’t going to let him go. “Well, I’ll let you go. Dillon’s glaring at me, so I must be late for something.” Javier laughed. Jacob joined in. “Fine. I’ll call you in a week or two.” “Definitely. We lost touch, Jacob, but I don’t plan on letting that happen again. We need to create our own pack, even though cats and dogs aren’t supposed to mix.” “Give Dillon a hug for me.” After hanging up, Jacob stuffed his phone back in his pocket 99

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before heading inside. He pulled his boots off and padded to the kitchen where he heard voices. Leaning on the doorframe, he braced one hand on the molding above him and smiled. Ollie stood at the oven, keeping an eye on the chili, while a brunette woman chopped up vegetables for the salad. They seemed like good friends as they chatted about the wolf project and other things. “So, Oliver, when are we going to meet the man who’s making you smile again?” the woman teased. Ollie’s pale skin turned rosy and he stammered. “Right now.” Jacob moved into the room, walking over to Ollie and embracing him. “Thanks for making dinner.” “Oh, my,” the woman muttered. Jacob winked at Ollie before turning to greet her. “I’m Jacob Tasker, Ollie’s boyfriend.” She shook his hand while staring at him in shock. “I’m Dorothy Sanders, Oliver’s assistant, and the team’s naturalist.” “Nice to meet you.” Jacob tried out a smile on Dorothy and heard her breath deep. “I’ll be back down in a few. Are the others joining us for dinner as well?” “Yes. You can meet them when they come in.” Ollie made a shooing gesture. “Now go wash up.” “Yes, Mom.” Ollie headed toward him, hand raised like he was going to pop Jacob on the ass. Jacob dashed out the room before Ollie could make good on his threat to slap him. As he headed down the hallway to the stairs, he heard Dorothy say, “You weren’t lying when you called him a stud.” He moved out of hearing, even for his wolf sense. The urge to strut hit him at the knowledge Ollie had called him a stud. He 100

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dashed up the stairs to his bathroom where he washed up quickly and changed his clothes. After pulling on a clean pair of faded jeans, a T-shirt with a button-downed shirt over top of it, Jacob checked his reflection in the mirror and shook his head. For the first time, he wanted to make a good impression. He wanted Ollie’s friends and colleagues to like him, or at least respect him. He didn’t know how many knew Brian, but he didn’t want any of them think he wasn’t good enough for Ollie. Losing Ollie wasn’t an option ever and he would do anything he needed to do, even play nice with other people to keep him. As Jacob made his way back downstairs, he heard laughter rolling from his kitchen and he froze. Damn! It had been a long time since the sound of happiness filled his home. Jacob rubbed the center of his chest as it ached with the knowledge of just how lonely he’d gotten over the years. It seemed all he needed was a slender blond to show him what he was missing all those years. Grinning, he hurried back to the kitchen, wanting to bask in Ollie’s presence for a few minutes. He rounded the corner and skidded to a halt as a large man wrapped his arms around Ollie and picked him up. The man swung Ollie around and gave him a noisy kiss on the lips. “Oliver, my pretty boy, I’m glad to see you’re looking hale and healthy.” Oh, hell, no! No one kissed his man like that. As far as Jacob was concerned, no one would ever get to kiss Ollie again, not even women. He shot across the room and yanked Ollie from the man’s arms. Pushing the younger man behind him, Jacob snarled at the stranger. “Whoa, man.” The guy put his hands up in the air, trying to look as defenseless as a six-five line-backer built man could. 101

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“Jacob, what the heck are you doing?” Ollie punched him between the shoulder blades before moving out from behind him. “He kissed you,” he muttered, still wanting to keep an eye on the guy, but needing to look at Ollie as well. “Of course, he did. D’Wayne and I have been friends since college. He always hugs and kisses me.” “No more. No one kisses you except me.” Jacob reached out to touch his lover, but Ollie moved away. Narrow-eyed, Ollie stared at him. “Oh, really?” Why did he feel like he’d made a mistake somewhere along the way? Yet he knew there was no way his wolf would allow another man to touch Ollie like he did. Of course, he couldn’t explain that to Ollie without going into all the reasons why, and Jacob wasn’t quite ready to divulge all his secrets. “Hey, man, I totally get it. If Oliver was mine, I wouldn’t want some stranger pawing him like that.” D’Wayne didn’t move, almost like he sensed the animal lurking beneath the surface of Jacob’s skin. “That doesn’t mean it’s okay for Jacob to growl at my friends.” Ollie folded his arms over his chest and glared at Jacob. “Now apologize to D’Wayne.” Jacob bit the inside of his cheek to keep from snarling and storming out of the house. He didn’t apologize to anyone, especially not strangers invading his territory. Staring into Ollie’s blue eyes, he came to the realization that things were going to be different now Ollie was part of his life. He couldn’t act like an asshole to people, or, at least, to people Ollie considered friends. He inhaled deeply, calming his wolf as best he could before he turned to D’Wayne and held out his hand. “I’m sorry.” Those two words were all he could squeeze out. 102

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“No problem, man. Like I said, I totally understand where you’re coming from.” Somehow, Jacob doubted that. After shaking hands with D’Wayne, he glanced over at Ollie. “Is dinner ready?” “Not quite yet.” “I’m going out on the deck. If you’d call me when it’s ready, I’ll come and grab a plate.” He headed toward the back door. “Aren’t you going to eat with us?” Ollie sounded surprised. “I don’t think I can function properly in polite company. It’s best if I eat by myself. I’ll meet everyone in the morning.” There was murmuring behind him, but he blocked it out. He dropped into one of the rocking chairs, and Bella joined him, laying her head on his knee. He didn’t look up when the screen door slammed shut. Ollie knelt beside him, resting his hand on top of Jacob’s. “What was that in there?” Jacob shrugged. “I’m not used to being around people anymore. I don’t know how to act.” Ollie waved that away. “I meant the whole ‘no one kisses you except me’ thing.” “Oh. I guess I’m a little more possessive than I thought I’d be. I’ve never had anyone to call mine before, so I didn’t realize I wouldn’t handle it well when I saw you in another man’s arms.” “But he’s just a friend, Jacob. Don’t you trust me?” Ollie met his gaze with troubled eyes. “Sweetheart, it has nothing to do with me not trusting you. It has everything to do with not trusting other people not to try and to claim you for themselves.” Jacob ran his fingers through Ollie’s blond hair. “I’m not much of a catch. I’m pretty much a hermit and probably an asshole. I can be mean and grumpy. I don’t like people 103

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and don’t trust most of them any farther than I can throw them.” “But you trust me. You took care of me when I was hurt. You let me move in with you.” “You’re different, honey.” He cradled Ollie’s face in his hands. “From the first moment I saw you, you burrowed through all the walls I’d built around myself. I’ll do anything to keep you safe and happy, even play nice with your friends. But not tonight. I can’t do it tonight.” It was also the night of the full moon. He would have to be extra careful when he snuck out later on. No one could see him shift because he wouldn’t be able to give them an acceptable explanation. Yet his wolf prowled close to the surface, and he was afraid he’d make another mistake in front of Ollie’s friends. Ollie studied him for a moment before nodding. “Okay. I’ll let you get away with it tonight, but tomorrow, you’re joining us for breakfast, and I’ll introduce you to everyone then.” “Thank you.” He leaned forward and brushed a kiss over Ollie’s lips. Opening, Ollie took him in. The kiss went from soft and gentle to hot and heavy in a flash. He fisted his hands in Ollie’s hair, holding him still while Jacob plundered his mouth, tasting spices from the spaghetti sauce and the unique flavor that was all Ollie. Jacob lost track of time as he savored his lover. A soft cough broke them apart. Ollie’s slightly stunned expression drew a smile to Jacob’s face. “Oliver, the spaghetti’s done,” Dorothy informed them. “Thanks, Dorothy. I’ll be right in.” Jacob stood and offered his hand to Ollie. When they were both standing, he embraced the slender man. Ollie snuggled close, sighing as he laid his head on Jacob’s shoulder. Jacob absorbed 104

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Ollie’s warmth, loving the fact Ollie relied on his strength to support him. He planned never to let Ollie down, no matter what.

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CHAPTER 13 It was the chill that woke Oliver up later that night. Reaching behind him, he patted the empty mattress and frowned. Where did Jacob go? He climbed out of bed, shivering slightly in the cool air. He picked up his sweats and T-shirt from the floor, smiling as he remembered Jacob’s haste in taking him when they finally got to bed. Oliver never thought Jacob would be insecure enough to get jealous of D’Wayne or anyone else for that matter. He winced at the ache in his muscles as he headed downstairs. The lonely feel to the house whispered that Jacob wasn’t inside. He wandered into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and pulled out the milk. After pouring himself a glass and cutting a piece of chocolate cake, he went outside to the back porch where one of the dogs 106

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greeted him. He knew it wasn’t Bella since she’d taken to sleeping in the horse barn lately. Jacob told Oliver she was getting ready to whelp soon. He set the glass on the railing and sat in one of the wooden rocking chairs placed on the porch. The night creatures sang softly in the distance and he relaxed, humming as the rich chocolate exploded over his tongue. Wow! Would Jacob let him lick chocolate off his body? Oliver closed his eyes at the image of Jacob spread out on their bed, his chest covered in chocolate, and a trail of the decadent stuff leading over his washboard abs to the dark curls around the base of his cock. Oliver’s own prick stiffened, tenting his sweats, and making him ache. He hurriedly finished his cake and drank down the milk. He returned the plate and glass to the kitchen before slipping on a pair of tennis shoes and strolling down the path toward the barn. Maybe Bella went into labor and Jacob was helping her out or there was a problem with one of the sheep. Oliver knew he wouldn’t be much help with either of those scenarios, but he could lend moral support. There was a light on in the barn when he shoved the door open a little bit farther so he could fit through, but he didn’t see Jacob anywhere. “Jacob,” he called, not raising his voice too much. He didn’t want to disturb any of the animals. No answer, so he searched the barn, finding Bella in one of the empty stalls, but no Jacob. Bella whined as he peeked into her stall, and he knelt next to her. “How you doing, lady,” he murmured, scratching behind one ear. She whined again and he spotted her stomach doing weird 107

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things. “Is it time for the puppies? Why isn’t Jacob out here with you?” There wasn’t anything Oliver knew to do to help her, except stay close in case something went wrong. He winced as she pushed each baby out. Thank God he wasn’t female because he would never give birth, given how painful it looked. Each puppy got cleaned and taken care of. Oliver couldn’t see anything wrong with any of them. He wasn’t sure how long it took for Bella to have all seven pups, but he stayed with her until the end. Then he cleaned up the bloody hay and got a blanket for her to lie on. “I don’t know if Jacob would coddle you like this or not, but he’s not here. If I could, I’d give you the biggest feather bed I could find, Bella. You deserve it for birthing perfectly adorable babies.” Bella’s woof sounded tired, and Oliver made sure she had bowls of water and food for when she had the energy to move. After giving her another pat, he stood and headed out to the sheep barn. It was possible Jacob was out with the sheep. He’d mentioned something earlier about one of the sheep going into labor. She was an older ewe and had gotten pregnant later than the others. Jacob had thought she might have the baby that night. It seemed the full moon could affect a mother-to-be. Walking into the barn, he glanced around. The other dogs met him at the door, sniffed him, and figuring out he was familiar, they left him alone as they went back to their places around the edges of the flock. Jacob kept the sheep in one large barn, open without stalls. He didn’t see any sign of Jacob. “I wonder where he went,” he muttered as he started to head 108

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back to the house. Jacob hadn’t gone for a ride because all the horses were in their stalls in the barn with Bella. He checked while he was getting Bella set for the night. After climbing up the steps to sit in the rocking chair again, he pulled his feet up on the seat and rested his chin on his knees. He stared off into the foothills behind Jacob’s house. The stars twinkled in the dark velvet sky and Oliver didn’t think he’d ever seen it so beautiful. He’d been all over the world and seen so many night skies, but the Idaho sky was by far the most gorgeous he’d experienced. Of course, it might have something to do with where he was sitting and the man he was quickly falling in love with, though he wasn’t willing to admit it out loud yet. The silence of the night finally caught his attention and he tilted his head, trying to figure out why the bugs and animals had gone quiet. A branch cracked out near the edge of the trees, and Oliver froze as something stepped from the forest. “Holy sugar babies!” He clenched his arms tight around his legs, keeping as still as he could. Even though everything in him cried out for him to run out and get closer to the animal slinking out into the sliver moonlight. “I did see you,” he whispered. The wolf paused, his large head held high and red hazel eyes focused on him like he saw Oliver sitting in the shadows of the porch. Oliver didn’t breath, not wanting to scare the creature off. The wolf stepped forward, moving slowly and quietly toward the horse barn. Wandering behind the barn, the wolf seemed to disappear, and Oliver bit his lip. Disappointment raced through him. A sudden thought hit him and he jumped to his feet, tripping down the steps 109

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and running to the barn. Bella wasn’t making any noise, so he didn’t know if the wolf had gotten in or not. Oliver started to cry out, but all his air rushed out of his lungs as he ran smack dab into Jacob’s chest. His lover grabbed his upper arms and frowned down at him. “What are you doing out here?” “Did you see it?” “See what?” “The wolf.” Jacob froze. “Wolf?” “Yeah.” Oliver tried to push past Jacob to get into the barn. “I saw it come out of the woods and walk behind the barn. Did you see it?” “Ah, no.” Jacob didn’t sound sure. Jacob didn’t move, and Oliver stepped back, eyeing him. “Where have you been?” “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d come out here to see how Bella was doing.” “Right. She’s fine, and so are her seven puppies.” Oliver folded his arms over his chest. “I looked everywhere for you and couldn’t find you. Exactly where were you?” “I must’ve fallen asleep up in the hayloft. I go up there to think sometimes and lose track of things.” Jacob grinned at him. He didn’t fight as Jacob wound his arms around his waist and drew him close. Oliver rested his hands on Jacob’s wide shoulders, staring up at his lover. “You didn’t see the wolf?” “No.” Jacob shook his head and leaned down to kiss Oliver. “Why don’t we worry about the wolf later? I think going back up to the house and getting to know one another a whole lot better sounds more interesting.” 110

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Oliver blinked, not sure whether he should be turned on that Jacob wanted him so much, or upset that his lover didn’t understand how exciting the possibility of a wild wolf already being in the forest was to him. He took Jacob’s kiss, opening his mouth and letting Jacob invade it with his tongue. He closed his eyes, enjoying the strength in the arms surrounding him and the warm hard body pressed tightly to his. “Hmmm…baby.” Jacob growled as he trailed his lips over Oliver’s chin and down his throat to the pulsing spot at the base of his neck. He dropped his head to the side, giving Jacob more access. Maybe they could discuss it later after they make love. His hole fluttered at the thought of Jacob’s thick length buried deep in it. “Will you make love to me out here?” “Have you been reading some cowboy romances where they have sex in the barn? All that hay giving you ideas?” Jacob teased, but turned, his hand in Oliver’s, and led him back into the barn. “It can get itchy, but I have ways to keep it from getting into places it shouldn’t be.” They detoured into the tack room where Jacob grabbed a couple horse blankets. Oliver kept looking around, trying to see if the wolf had crept into the barn without either of them noticing. When they passed Bella’s stall, Jacob checked on her, giving her some praise and scratches. Oliver climbed up the ladder to the hayloft where Jacob had already stacked several bales into a cozy little area. “Strip,” Jacob ordered. Oliver started taking his clothes off while Jacob spread out the blankets on the floor, making a warm nest for them. As soon as he was naked, he reached out to lift Jacob’s shirt over his head. Jacob 111

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made short work of his jeans and within seconds, it seemed, they were lying on the blankets. Jacob pushed Oliver over onto his back and licked from the base of Oliver’s throat down over each nipple, spending time on each to make Oliver moan and beg. When he seemed satisfied he’d lavished enough attention on them, he moved to wrap his lips around the head of Oliver’s penis. “Oh, my.” He gasped, trying not to shove his entire length down Jacob’s throat. His lover teased and sucked on just the crown, drawing shivers and tremors from Oliver. Shocks of pleasure danced down his spine. Oliver twisted his hands in the blankets beneath him and shouted when Jacob sucked him all the way down. His hips lifted off the ground, but Jacob pinned him and growled low in his throat. “Okay…” He laid there, letting Jacob do all the work. Jacob definitely enjoyed giving blowjobs because he slurped and sucked, licking and nibbling, while Oliver slowly went out of his mind. His balls drew tighter to his body, yet he needed something more. Anything more. He couldn’t work his brain around what he wanted. He couldn’t get his tongue to work to ask for it either. Jacob knew what he wanted because suddenly the man invaded Oliver’s butt with one thick finger. Oliver arched and cried out again. “Fuck.” The pleasure stopped for a moment, and Oliver forced himself to look down to see Jacob staring at him in surprise. He flushed at the shock in Jacob’s eyes at his swearing. He winked at the man, annoyed he’d stopped. Jacob chuckled and dove back in, going harder and faster. 112

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“Jacob, gonna…” Jacob’s hum of encouragement rattled Oliver’s nerves and he came, pouring all his seed down Jacob’s throat. The dark-haired man drank it like Oliver’s cum was the rarest vintage wine. Oliver’s body tensed, then went limp as his climax washed over him, until he sprawled spread eagle on the blankets like the wanton he was. He grinned at Jacob, who knelt between his legs. Jacob’s erection stood out from his groin, leaking pre-cum. Oliver crooked a finger at him. “Why don’t you give me that?” “I don’t have rubbers out here.” Jacob stroked his hand up and down the length of his shaft. “What? You don’t usually make love to your boyfriends out in the barn?” Oliver joked. A serious expression crossed Jacob’s face. “I didn’t have boyfriends. I had one-night stands in Boise or other cities I went to. I never brought anyone out here.” Something in Jacob’s tone told Oliver those revelations were important. An emotion suspiciously like love swamped Oliver’s heart. He surged to his knees and shoved Jacob over on his back. Encircling Jacob’s penis with one hand, Oliver swallowed as much of it as he could. “Ollie, I’m not going to last,” Jacob warned. Oliver didn’t care how fast Jacob came. Once they recovered, they’d return to the house and he’d convince Jacob to take him again. He wanted Jacob to claim him in the most intimate way possible. He applied all of his skills, which he admitted to himself weren’t many, but Jacob didn’t seem to care. Oliver fondled 113

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Jacob’s balls, playing with and caressing the soft skin behind them. He grew bold enough to rub the pad of one finger over Jacob’s hole, not trying to breach it or anything like that. Knowing how good it felt to him, he wanted to give Jacob a little different type of pleasure. “Baby, I’m going to come.” Jacob’s words were barely discernable through the roughness of his voice. Oliver nodded, pulling back some so he could get all of Jacob’s cum. Jacob howled as he came, and Oliver shivered at the wildness in the sound. It was almost like the wolf songs he’d listened to up in the Canadian Rockies. He sucked and licked until Jacob’s penis went soft in his mouth. One last kiss and he crawled up to snuggle close to Jacob. As he lay there, surrounded by Jacob’s presence, Oliver’s mind went back to the wolf. “I wonder where the wolf went.”

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CHAPTER 14 Jacob carried Ollie back to bed and tucked his lover in. As much as he would have loved to climb under the blankets and snuggle with Ollie, Jacob couldn’t interrupt his ritual. Every night of the full moon, he went to the one room of the house no one ever entered but him. Hell, Ollie might not even know the room existed. It remained locked and hidden beyond his closet wall. He glanced over his shoulder to check to make sure Ollie still slept before he pushed the wall at the back of his closet and felt it move. The panel slid out of the way and he slipped through, letting it close behind him. Letting go of his human, he shifted into his wolf and stalked to the moonlight in the center of the room. A large skylight allowed the silver beams to fill the room, bathing all the furs in a heavenly 115

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glow. He curled into a ball on top of some of them, sighing as he smelled the faint scent of family on them. On the times when the wolf grew close to the surface, it helped for him to try and remember his pack. The only one who might be alive was his sister, yet she never returned from where she ran. His eyes drifted closed. He’d wake up early enough in the morning to join Ollie in bed before the man woke up. *

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Slipping out of the hidden room, he spied the empty bed and frowned. Where had Ollie gone so early in the morning? He showered quickly and yanked on some clothes. Jacob headed to the kitchen, but Ollie’s scent was faint, like he’d passed through much earlier. He pulled on his boots and a light jacket. It could get hot during the day, but in the morning before the sun burned off the fog, it was chilly. He made sure the door didn’t slam behind him, not wanting to wake up any of the guests in the other house. Bella sat outside the barn, her tail sweeping the dirt under her. “Feeling proud of yourself, huh, girl?” He rubbed her ears and followed her inside. She led the way to where her puppies slept in a pile, snug and warm in the mound of straw he’d gotten for her. “You’re a good mother. You and Butch make some fine pups. I’ll have to figure out which one to keep, then we’ll sell the others when they’re ready to go out on their own.” His dog didn’t seem too concerned with that. Of course, his dogs were some of the best trained in the country and it wouldn’t be hard to find new places for the pups when they were old enough 116

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to be weaned. “Do you know where Ollie went?” he asked Bella, straightening from his crouch and listening closely to the noises coming from the back of the barn. “Shit,” he muttered. He might have distracted Ollie from the wolf the night before with some hot sex, but Ollie was a focused man when it came to something he found interesting. Strolling down the aisle way, he stroked each horse’s nose as they came to investigate his presence. When he got to the end of the stalls, he leaned against the open barn door and crossed his ankles, while tucking his hands in his pockets. Ollie crouched down next to something in the dirt. “What you got there?” He hid his smile when Ollie squeaked and fell over in surprise. His lover shot him a glare as Oliver pushed back up on his knees and brushed the dirt from his jeans. “I told you there was a wolf around here.” Ollie pointed at the paw print clearly set into the mud around the rain barrel. Damn. He should have paid better attention to where he walked when he came back in last night. “It might be from Bella. She wanders around here from time to time.” The “get real” look Ollie shot him made him snort softly. Okay, so it was a stupid statement, considering what Ollie did for a living. He wandered over and crouched next to Ollie, filling his lungs with the fresh scent of his lover. His cock twitched and he bit back a groan. All he really wanted to do was strip Ollie naked, push him over on his back, and fuck him so hard the man screamed and woke up 117

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their guests. He admitted that some of the urge was to get Ollie’s mind off the wolf, but most of it was simply because he missed holding the man in his arms. He bumped their shoulders together. “Maybe you’re right about that wolf. I have to say, though, I’ve never seen it and I tend to wander these woods all the time. My dogs haven’t reacted to there being any predator around like that either.” Of course, the dogs wouldn’t. They didn’t see him as a threat. He was the alpha of their rather ragtag group of canines, which explained why none of them reacted when he came back last night. “I want to trail the tracks back to see if I can find his den.” Ollie shifted, resting more of his weight against Jacob. “Okay. Do you want to use the horses in case we have to go farther than you’re expecting?” Maybe it wasn’t a good idea, but he would help Ollie look for the wolf, even though he knew the trail wouldn’t lead him anywhere except to a clearing about a mile from the house. He would walk out there and change clothes most times. Well, except for last night when he changed out in the horse barn and ran through the woods. “Yeah. I’ll go and get my camera, so we can record whatever we find. I’ll also leave a note for the others, in case they get up before we get back.” “You do that. I’ll saddle the horses.” He straightened and offered his hand to Ollie. Ollie took it and Jacob pulled him to his feet and into his arms. Their lips met, nibbling and sucking, saying hello and good morning. There might even have been a little bit of “I love you” hidden in their kiss. Pulling back, he patted Ollie’s ass as he let his lover by. “Go 118

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get your stuff. Meet me back here in ten minutes.” As much as he didn’t really want to take the risk Ollie might find out about his secret, he also knew he couldn’t keep pretending Ollie wasn’t seeing his wolf. He just had to try and keep Ollie from figuring out there was something different about this wolf. He saddled their horses and led them from the barn. Staring up at the early morning sun, he acknowledged the fact that if he planned on keeping Ollie in his life, he’d have to come clean at some point about the most secret part of him. Jacob listened to the waking songs of the daytime animals. How many nights before the humans came had he and his pack run beneath the summer sky? How many times had their voices filled the night air, declaring they owned the land around them? Yet now, his was the only song lifted to the moon and there weren’t any others to sing with him. His loneliness threatened to overwhelm him, but the bang of the back door shutting caught his attention and he looked over to see Ollie race down the steps. The blond slowed before getting to Jacob so he didn’t scare the horses. He accepted Oliver’s camera bag, holding it until Ollie settled into the saddle. After he handed it up, he swung aboard his own mount and they headed out. Jacob let Ollie take the lead, even though he knew exactly where they were going. They rode slowly as Oliver took his time to check the prints and take pictures of them as well. Jacob didn’t say anything, just enjoyed the bright sunshine and the way Ollie’s body moved with the strides of the horse. God, his lover was beautiful and graceful. He wanted to pull Ollie from his horse, strip him naked, and lie back, letting Ollie ride him until they both came. “Shit,” he muttered. Riding with a hard-on was never fun. “Are you okay?” Ollie looked over his shoulder at him. 119

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“I’ll be fine, honey, but I have to say it’s all your fault.” He winked to let Ollie know he was teasing. Ollie eased his horse back because here the trail was wide enough for them to ride next to each other. “How is it my fault?” Reaching over, Jacob stroked his fingers over Ollie’s thigh. “If your ass wasn’t so hot, I wouldn’t want it so badly. And I wouldn’t be riding with an erection.” “Oh.” Ollie ducked his head and blushed. Jacob brought his horse to a halt, and Ollie’s horse stopped as well. Jacob slid his hand up behind Ollie’s head and encouraged his lover to lean over to him. Their lips met, and Ollie moaned, allowing Jacob to sweep his tongue into Ollie’s mouth and taste the coffee Ollie drank earlier. Ollie held the reins in one hand and reached to cup Jacob’s cheek. Jacob nibbled along Ollie’s lips, then moved over his jaw to his ear. “I think I’m falling in love with you, Ollie Wingate.” Jacob heard Ollie’s gasp and he gathered his thoughts, trying to remember what he’d just said while wrapped up in Ollie’s touch. “What did you say?” Ollie stared at him, eyes wide and a little hint of hope in them. “I believe I said I think I’m falling in love with you.” He wasn’t going to back away from what he said. It was the truth and while he still didn’t have any idea how he was going to break the news of his wolf to Ollie, he wasn’t going to keep this quiet. “Ummm…” Ollie seemed at a loss for words. Jacob chuckled softly. “Don’t worry about saying anything yet. We have time, and you should probably get to know me better before you commit to loving me.” “But I want—” 120

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He pressed his fingers to Ollie’s lips and shook his head. “Please don’t, Ollie. After spending some time together, and if I manage to tell you everything buried in my past, you can decide then whether or not you can love me.” Ollie frowned. “Buried past?” “It’s nothing bad, I promise. I’m not a serial killer or anything like that.” Jacob paused. “I have killed people, but that was for the military. And I can’t really talk about those. All classified missions and things like that.” “Okay.” He could tell Ollie didn’t understand what he meant, and Jacob was glad in a way. He didn’t want Ollie to know about the things he’d done while in the military. He wanted his lover to remain as innocent as possible of the terrible things people did to each other. Of course, Jacob had had a double dose of the inhumanity of man. War and the extermination of his pack. Sometimes it amazed him that he still lived. Wolves didn’t do well alone, so that might have been the reason why he went to town and tried to interact with others, even when he regretted the urge more often than not. “It looks like the tracks lead to this clearing.” Ollie had moved on while he thought about things. “Really? Do you want to look around and see where it entered or left?” “Yeah.” Oliver dismounted and dug out his camera again, snapping pictures and taking measurements. “It’s a male, mature, and definitely the largest wolf I’ve ever seen.” Ollie talked to himself, writing down the information in a notebook. 121

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Jacob led the horses around, acting like he was avoiding prints and stuff, but he walked over a great deal of the prints. After an hour or so, Ollie returned to his side and frowned. “Did you find out where he left the clearing aside from heading toward my place?” “No. There are a lot of tracks…not just wolf, but horses and sheep.” Jacob breathed a silent sigh of relief, glad the dogs brought the flock along the trail every day. “At least you have proof a wolf is around the area. Maybe we should go back home. You can download the pictures to your laptop, and I’ll make breakfast, then you and your team can discuss all the possibilities.” “Sounds good to me.” Ollie gave him a peck on the cheek before mounting his horse. “Thanks for believing me, Jacob.” “I’ll always believe you, Ollie. No matter what you tell me.”

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CHAPTER 15 Oliver thought about Jacob’s words as they rode back to the house. Jacob would believe anything Oliver told him? Interesting choice of words. There were no skeletons in Oliver’s past. No secrets he couldn’t share with his lover, yet it sounded like Jacob had whole rooms full of things he couldn’t tell Oliver. He did appreciate the fact that, even though Jacob hadn’t seen the wolf, he was willing to go with Oliver to look for it. They got back to the barn and unsaddled the horses. By the time they went inside the house, the rest of Oliver’s team had trickled in and gathered in the kitchen. Jacob paused in the doorway, seemingly unsure of what to do with the five strangers he’d welcomed into his home. Oliver rested his hand on Jacob’s arm. “Are you still willing to 123

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cook breakfast? I can take them into the living room and discuss what we need to do. Also, I want them to know about the wolf.” Jacob looked slightly pained at the mention of the wolf, and Oliver wondered if his lover really didn’t know anything about the animal or if he was keeping another secret from him. He shook his head. It wasn’t important at the moment. He’d work it out of Jacob later. “I’ll be fine. The coffee should be done soon. I’ll make eggs, bacon, and pancakes for everyone.” He pushed up on his toes to brush a kiss over Jacob’s cheek. “Thank you.” Rounding everyone up, he herded them out into the living room, just like one of Jacob’s dogs with their flock. “Let’s go, everyone. I’ve got some exciting news, and Jacob needs room in the kitchen to cook breakfast for us.” “Your friend doesn’t have to do that for us, Oliver,” Dorothy protested. “We can make our own food.” “I know, and starting tomorrow, you’ll have to. I have a flock of sheep to tend, and I’ve been neglecting them. Thank God my dogs are so well-trained. They don’t need me around very much.” Jacob’s smile looked forced, but he didn’t growl at any of them. “Sheep? Why aren’t you throwing a fit about us re-introducing wolves into the area around here?” Jessica, one of Oliver’s grad students and interns, asked, her blue eyes eating Jacob up. An odd surge of jealousy whirled in Oliver. He’d never been overly possessive of Brian while they were together. Why was he getting all cave-mannish about Jacob? He knew his lover wasn’t interested in girls like that. In fact, he didn’t think Jacob was interested in being friends with anyone either. Jacob was remarkable self-possessed and self-reliant. More 124

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than most people who searched out human interaction. Jacob seemed to run from it, like the man expected people to treat him like crap, so he didn’t allow them the chance. Oliver couldn’t help but wonder what made Jacob open his house to him and allow him to invade his personal space like that. Jacob shrugged, turning away. “Wolves will make a comeback with or without help from you. It was only a matter of time. I’m not worried about them taking my sheep. There’s enough wild game around for them to eat. My dogs are great guardians of my flock. Plus this is my territory. No wolf would risk his life coming into it without my permission.” The others frowned, and Oliver chuckled, used to Jacob’s odd phrasing. He shook his head. “Come on, everyone. I have some good news. Or at least, I think it’s good news.” They took seats on the couch, chairs, and floor, looking expectantly at Oliver. He got his laptop up and running. After downloading the pictures from his camera, he loaded them into the right program and handed the computer around. “I took these this morning.” “Are they?” D’Wayne glanced up at him. “Yes. I’ve actually seen the wolf that made them twice. Once right after I’d gotten beaten up. I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but turns out, he really does exist.” Oliver waited for the next logical question. “Has Jacob ever seen this wolf?” Dorothy handed the laptop to Jessica before pinning Oliver with her gaze. “No. I’m not surprised. One lone wolf can hide pretty easily in this forest. Jacob probably knows the area better than anyone else, but he can’t be everywhere, and a wolf can go places a man can’t.” A sound suspiciously like a snort came from the kitchen, and 125

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Oliver wasn’t sure what Jacob was doing in there. “I saw it again last night just out behind Jacob’s horse barn. We followed the tracks to a clearing about a mile from here. There were too many other tracks for me to figure out where it went after that, but I think we could use that clearing as our starting off point to see if we can find the wolf’s den. Also, maybe there are more wolves around here. We need to find out if there’s an established pack because if there is, we don’t want to re-introduce our wolves here.” Oliver shook his head. “We can’t risk something happening to either packs.” “I doubt there’s more than one wolf in the area.” Thom, another of the interns, spoke up. “There haven’t been any reports of sightings from townspeople or anyone in the vicinity.” “That’s because the people in this area would rather kill a wolf than take notes about his living habits.” Jacob stalked in, carrying a tray with coffee mugs on it. “There’s cream and sugar there as well.” He set the tray down on the coffee table in the middle of the room and left. Dorothy shot a look at Oliver, and he shrugged. He didn’t know what was bothering Jacob, though he figured it was simply the fact the man wasn’t used to having so many people around. Oliver had noticed how grumpy Jacob had gotten when Dillon and Javier were visiting. “I didn’t hear any of the dogs last night. Wouldn’t they have barked or something if the wolf was around?” D’Wayne inquired. “Maybe they’ve seen the wolf and are used to it roaming near here. It looks like it’s been getting regular feedings, so it probably doesn’t threaten the flock, and the dogs let it be.” *

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Oliver groaned as he walked in the back door and toed off his boots. He and his team had wandered all over Jacob’s property and federal land, looking for signs of the lone wolf. They’d found a few random prints, but nothing that gave them a clue where the animal’s den might be. He leaned against the counter, thinking about that morning. Jacob had given him a kiss before riding out with the flock. He blushed at the teasing his team had given him. “I never thought you’d hook up with a shepherd, Oliver,” Dorothy joked as they made their way outside. Jacob had led his horse from the barn and mounted. All the females in the group had inhaled sharply. It was almost like Jacob had heard them, though more than likely, he’d simply noticed them standing there. Looking neither left nor right, Jacob had touched the brim of his hat in Oliver’s direction before nudging his gelding forward. “Yep, I never thought a sheep herder would be your kind of guy, Oliver, but now that I’ve seen him, I have to say you have excellent taste.” D’Wayne had chuckled as he elbowed Oliver. Ducking his head, Oliver had grunted. “Of course, he has excellent taste. He loved Brian, didn’t he?” Jessica had spoken up. The others had murmured their acknowledgement of that. “And if he loves Jacob, we should be willing to give the guy a chance.” Jessica had threaded her arm through Oliver’s. “Thanks, Jess, but I think it’s a little too soon to be talking about love.” As much as Oliver might hedge or protest about the length of time needed to fall in love, he’d known he was talking bull crap. “Is that you, Ollie?” Jacob called from the living room. 127

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“Yes. Just taking a moment to decide if I have enough energy to join you.” Jacob strolled into the room, filling the entire space with his presence. He slid his arms around Oliver’s waist and hugged him close. Oliver laid his head on Jacob’s chest, absorbing the man’s warmth and his intriguing scent. “Did you have an uneventful day?” Oliver asked. “Hmmm…” Jacob’s hum echoed in Oliver’s ear and he pressed closer to his lover. “Let me help you upstairs. You can take a shower while I get dinner ready for us. Are your friends joining us?” He shook his head. “No. They decided to risk it and head into town.” “No one will bother them as long as they stay together.” Closing his eyes, Oliver gasped when Jacob swept him up into his arms. “I can walk,” he protested. “I know, but it’s easier for both of us if I carry you.” Okay, he wasn’t going to argue with that. He was tired, though hiking through the forest shouldn’t have tired him out so much. “You’re still recovering. It’ll be a while before you’re a hundred percent. Oh, Lizzie called for you while you were out. I told her you’d call after dinner.” He missed his sister, even though they talked almost every night. Oliver trailed his hand over Jacob’s shoulder. “Do you have any family, Jacob?” Oliver leaned his head back to look at Jacob’s profile. “Not anymore.” Jacob’s rough-hewn face held the sadness Oliver often saw when Jacob didn’t know Oliver was looking at him. 128

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“Are they all gone?” “Yes. They’re all dead, except for my sister. I haven’t seen her in years, so she might be dead as well for all I know.” They stopped outside the bathroom, and Jacob allowed Oliver’s feet to hit the floor. Oliver didn’t try to move away when Jacob entangled his fingers in Oliver’s hair and held his head still. Warm breath washed over his lips a second before Jacob kissed him. He opened to his lover’s demanding tongue, sucking on it a little. He laughed breathlessly as Jacob pushed him against the wall. Sliding his hands up over Jacob’s shoulders, he spread his legs and welcomed Jacob into the space created there. “I thought about you all day,” Jacob admitted, licking along Oliver’s neck and pinching a small piece of flesh between his teeth. He worked up a dark mark there, and Oliver shuddered, his cock hard and throbbing. “Oh, Jacob.” Oliver moaned. Suddenly, Jacob pulled away from him, holding him up as his knees threatened to buckle. He frowned at Jacob, not happy about the man stopping. “Don’t look at me like that. If we keep going, you’re not going to get your shower or dinner.” Jacob turned him around and patted his ass. “Get cleaned up and come down to eat. We’ll get everything taken care of. After that, I’ll take you to bed, and you’ll be screaming my name over and over while I fuck you.” Holy swizzle sticks! Every nerve in his body trembled at the thought of Jacob driving screams from him. Oliver couldn’t wait for all the aches and pains associated with sharing Jacob’s bed. “Ummm…ah…” Oliver couldn’t seem to string any words together as he looked over his shoulder at Jacob. 129

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“Are you okay?” The smirk on Jacob’s face told Oliver he knew the exact effect he had on Oliver. Oliver took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes.” “Good. I’ll be downstairs when you’re done.” Oliver went into the bathroom and shut the door. He leaned back, resting his head on the wood. His heart beat slowed and his breathing eased. H-e-double-hockey sticks. That man was dangerous for Oliver’s health, though the truth of the matter was Oliver loved how Jacob could steal his breath away with one kiss or even just a smile. He turned on the water, letting it get warm while he stripped and pulled out a towel. Climbing into the tub, he thought about the fact Jacob didn’t have any family left. No wonder the man seemed sad and lonely. Oliver didn’t know what he’d do without Lizzie and Bobby. Losing Brian had been so hard to deal with there had been a month or two where he imagined what it would be like to push everyone away from him. To protect his heart from being hurt by losing someone he loved. Yet Lizzie, Ruth, and Bobby had pulled Oliver out of his sadness. They never allowed him to forget there were other people who loved him and would miss him if he were gone or cut them out of his life. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like Jacob had anyone to help him out. Oliver smiled to himself as he soaped up his hands. Well, Jacob had him now, and he would do his best to urge Jacob out of his solitary existence. Javier and Dillon would certainly help him if he needed it. All his plans would start with getting Jacob to talk about his family. Oliver had learned after Brian’s death that the best way to open your heart again was to talk about the person you lost. It would help Jacob remember the good times, when his family was 130

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still alive. Then they would work on making their own happy memories. Oliver’s penis throbbed at that thought.

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CHAPTER 16 Jacob stared out of the window over the sink, watching the shadows slowly encroach on his land. He’d already fed the horses and dogs, checked on Bella and the puppies, and cooked dinner for Ollie. He grinned at his reflection. Shit, he never thought he’d be so domestic. He hoped the others were having their own dinner and weren’t planning on bothering them. He had plans for Ollie’s ass later after dinner. The water shut off upstairs as he finished setting the table. The casserole was done and so were the beans. As he poured their drinks, Ollie walked into the kitchen, faded sweats barely hanging onto his hips. His bare chest glistened with a few missed drops of water. Jacob grabbed his arms and pulled him close, bending to lick the drops off his skin. 132

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Gasping, Ollie threaded his fingers through Jacob’s hair and held on as Jacob trailed his tongue over to one of Ollie’s nipples. He flicked the hard nub of flesh, causing Ollie to jump slightly. “What about dinner?” Ollie managed to get out in between pants. “Hmmm…help me put it away. We can warm it up later tonight.” Ollie and Jacob rushed around the room, wrapping up the casserole and beans, shoving them into the refrigerator before rushing toward the stairs. Jacob swung around and slung Ollie over his shoulder, enabling him to take two stairs at a time and getting both of them to the bedroom faster. He tossed Ollie onto the mattress, grinning as his lover bounced once and twisted his hands in the sheets to keep from sliding off the other side. Jacob stripped quickly, not wasting time when digging out the condoms and lube. Ollie held out his hand, and Jacob laid the bottle across his palm. “I’ll get myself ready.” Jacob’s eyes widened as Ollie flipped over and pushed up on his knees. He heard the snap of the top of the bottle, almost swallowing his tongue as Ollie pushed two slick fingers into his hole and groaned. Taking his time, Jacob got the foil package open, even with his own trembling hands. He covered his cock with the rubber and settled back on his heels, enjoying the sight of Ollie fucking himself. God, Ollie’s lean, pale body undulated with each deep thrust of his fingers. Jacob couldn’t resist adding one of his fingers to Ollie’s. “Please,” Ollie begged with a breathless voice and every movement of his body. 133

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“Roll over,” Jacob whispered in Ollie’s ear. “But—” “Just do it.” Ollie rolled over and they returned to stretching him, but Jacob leaned forward to lick the pre-cum pooling at the slit of Ollie’s cock. He took only the head of the shaft into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the spongy glans. Ollie lifted his hips off the bed, trying to press deeper into Jacob’s mouth. Shaking his head slightly, Jacob pinned Ollie back to the covers with his free hand. “Jacob,” Ollie whimpered. Jacob twisted his finger inside Ollie, brushing the man’s gland with his knuckle. “Shit,” Ollie swore loudly. A chuckle burst from Jacob and he pulled away from Ollie, so he didn’t injure his lover. “What’s so funny?” He caught the glare Ollie sent him. Bracing both hands on either side of Ollie’s head, he kissed Ollie before easing back a few inches. “It’s kind of cute when you really swear.” “Cute? You think I’m cute?” Ollie frowned. “I’m not sure I like that idea. I want you to think I’m sexy and irresistible.” “Sweetheart, if you were any sexier, I might die from too much stimulation.” Ollie blushed, red trailing from his cheeks down over his chest to his stomach. Jacob slipped back down to spread Ollie’s legs wider apart before swallowing Ollie’s length. Ollie shouted as the head of his cock hit the back of Jacob’s throat. “Oh, God!” Jacob kept the younger man pinned down, bobbing his head up and down along Ollie’s prick. He kept the sucking hard and fast, 134

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wanting Ollie to climax as quickly as possible. Ollie gripped Jacob’s hair in his hands and tugged, making Jacob wince a little. “Jacob, I want to come on your cock. Please. I want you inside me when I come.” There wasn’t any way he could argue with that. Without thinking or hesitating, he surged to his knees, bent Ollie’s legs over his shoulders and slammed into Ollie’s ass. He breached the puckered opening without mercy, driving as deep as he could go until his pubic hair was crushed against Ollie’s skin. Jacob’s eyes crossed at how tight Ollie’s inner channel was. How Ollie clamped down on him, almost insistent that Jacob not pull out of him, but Jacob needed to move and he wasn’t going to be gentle about fucking Ollie. He wanted the man and planned on taking him. The only thing that would have made the experience even hotter was if he was fucking Ollie bareback. As a werewolf, Jacob couldn’t contract any human disease nor could he transmit any, but he couldn’t explain that to Ollie, at least not at the moment. Staring down into Ollie’s lust-hazed eyes, Jacob knew the time was fast approaching when he would have to break down and tell Ollie about his secret and all the incredible things inherent to it. He would have to spill his guts about his family and why he hated the humans in Red Cliff so much. He didn’t know how his lover would react to the rather shocking news of Jacob being a wolf shifter. “Hello. Are you still with me?” He blinked and noticed Ollie frowning at him. “Sorry. Got thinking about something.” “In the middle of having sex?” “It was about you. Does that make it better?” He slowly retreated, pulling all the way out. 135

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“Don’t go,” Ollie protested. “I guess it depends on what you were thinking about me.” “How fucking sexy and mind-blowing gorgeous you look with my cock in your ass.” Ollie blushed again and Jacob surged forward, driving his cock into Ollie. “Holy fucking God,” Ollie screamed. Hmmm…his Ollie only seemed to swear at moments of high emotion. One slow drag out and another quick stroke in, nailing Ollie’s gland hard. Ollie curled up and cried out as warm cum shot out of Ollie’s prick, coating his stomach. Jacob rocked into Ollie one more time and froze, flooding the condom as he came. When all the elasticity in his muscles disappeared, Jacob flopped to Ollie’s side, chest heaving and pulse pounding. “Wow.” Turning his head, he saw Ollie staring up at the ceiling, blinking slowly as he recovered. Jacob struggled off the bed and staggered to the bathroom where he took care of the rubber and cleaned up. He returned to the room with a warm cloth to wash Ollie. He tossed the damp fabric in the general direction of his laundry basket. Ollie sighed as Jacob covered them with blankets and spooned with him. “Jacob.” “Yes, Ollie?” Jacob had a feeling he wasn’t going to be thrilled about the coming conversation. “How did your family die?” He stiffened, not wanting to relive the terrible days during which, one after the other, his pack fell to the guns of the humans hunting them. The Native Americans who had shared land with the 136

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pack had respected and, at times, worshipped them. “They were killed.” Ollie stayed silent for a while after that, and Jacob hoped he wouldn’t ask another question. “And you haven’t talked to your sister since she left?” “Do we need to do this right now, Ollie? Can’t we just nap and maybe have something to eat afterward?” He sighed and kissed the nape of Ollie’s neck. “You do realize we’ll have to talk about this at some point?” Ollie rolled over on his back to look at Jacob. “I mean, I really, really like you, Jacob, and I’d like to see just how serious our relationship can be. That means having to talk about ourselves. I know you don’t like doing it, and probably with good cause, but I’d like to know a little more about you.” Jacob climbed out of bed and plucked a pair of sweats out of his dresser. “If you’re hungry, join me downstairs.” He padded down to the kitchen and pulled the casserole out of the refrigerator, popping it in the microwave to re-heat. Leaning his ass against the counter, he rested his face in his hands and sighed. Christ, did he really want to get into this conversation with Ollie? Yet if he believed that he loved the man—and he did deep down inside—he had to start out the right way by telling the truth. Even if it meant Ollie thought he was crazy or laughed in his face. He heard Ollie taking the stairs just as the microwave pinged to announce the food was done warming up. Jacob took out two plates and dished up some of the steaming food. He had that and two glasses of iced tea sitting on the table by the time Ollie entered the kitchen. His lover eyed him cautiously before sitting down. Jacob didn’t say anything, just picked up his fork and started eating. 137

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“I’m sorry,” Ollie apologized, shrugging when Jacob looked up. “I do know better than to push when someone doesn’t want to answer my questions. I’m just curious and I really like you, so, of course, I want to know all about you.” Jacob accepted Ollie’s apology, but stayed quiet for a few minutes more. He pushed his empty plate away from him and leaned back in his chair. Folding his hands over his stomach, he stared down at the floor and exhaled sharply. “My life is hard to talk about, Ollie. It hasn’t been as charmed as yours was.” He held up his hand to stop Ollie’s protest. “I know you had some rough times. Your partner was killed and then your sister’s partner died. Are your parents still living?” Ollie nodded. “They retired to Arizona. Lizzie and I go out to visit them at the holidays.” “Ah, so you still have family, and even though you’ve experienced loss, for the most part, you entertain the idea that the world is a fair place and people are usually good.” “Why do I feel like I should apologize again? And I wouldn’t say I believe people are good. Heck, those rednecks who beat me up proved that.” Ollie shoved his own plate away and curled his hands around his glass. “Don’t feel sorry for the kind of life you’ve had, Ollie. Trust me…it makes me feel better knowing you had a relatively good life. I spent twenty years in the military, doing my best to keep you and other people safe. I don’t begrudge you your life or your family.” Jacob scrubbed his hand over his face. Ollie shifted in his chair, and Jacob knew his lover wanted to reach out and touch him, but Jacob wasn’t sure he could get through the rest of his revelations if Ollie made that overture. 138

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“I had a large family. My dad and mom, along with several aunts and uncles, were in charge. Our territory was most of the mountains and all of the land where Red Cliff is today. We came here in the sixteen hundreds before white men had gotten this far. We met only the native people who lived here. They traded with us and allowed us this land.” “‘We’ came here? You mean your ancestors came to Idaho before it was Idaho, and your family has lived here ever since. Each generation working the land their ancestors worked.” Ollie grinned. “How awesome to have that kind of connection to the land around you.” His lover didn’t understand and Jacob wasn’t sure he was up to explaining the truth. Yet meeting Ollie’s bright blue eyes, Jacob knew he had to make the effort. Ollie might think he was crazy and leave, which would hurt, but Jacob would get over the pain. He’d dealt with rejection before and he could deal with it again. It was better to get it over with now instead of when he was so in love with Ollie that it would break him in some irreparable way he wouldn’t survive. “No, Oliver, I mean ‘we.’ I’m over four hundred years old and I’m a wolf shifter.”

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CHAPTER 17 Oliver stared at Jacob, watching the man tense to keep from squirming. He allowed the silence to drag out until Jacob looked ready to break and run. He leaned forward and forced Jacob to look him in his eyes. “It’s about time you told me.” He settled back to watch Jacob’s shock dawn on his face. It would be funny, but Jacob would take exception to his laughter. “What the fuck are you saying?” Jacob jumped to his feet and started pacing with his hands clenched and resting on his hips. “I’m saying I’ve known from the beginning that you were a wolf.” “And you’re just now saying something to me about it?” Oliver nodded. “I couldn’t very well come up to you and blurt 140

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out that I know you’re a wolf. You saved me, and I didn’t want to upset you with what I knew.” His lover whirled on him and glared. “How long have you known?” “Honestly?” Jacob nodded. “I’ve known about wolf shifters for about four years now. I met a lady at the hospice where Lizzie’s partner lived for the last couple months of her life. We became friends, and while Lizzie spent time with Ruthie, I’d go and sit with Serena.” He saw the name hit Jacob like a sledgehammer. “Serena?” “Yes, I believe she was your sister.” Jacob’s nod was slower and less angry. “Yes, she left us when her boyfriend tried to have her committed. For some reason, she couldn’t deal with being part of the pack after that. Most wolves need a pack to survive, but she turned her back on us.” “Wolves don’t like being alone. They work better with others supporting them.” Oliver understood the dynamics of the pack. “I don’t understand why she left.” “She left because she was afraid the man who tried to hurt her would come after you.” He held up his hand to stop Jacob’s protest. “I know. It doesn’t make sense, but loving someone doesn’t always make sense.” “She was in a hospice?” Jacob seemed willing to skip over the reason why Serena left. “Yes. I’m not sure how she managed to get cancer, considering how immune to just about everything you are. Or so she said.” “Cancer?” 141

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Oliver bit his lip as tears welled in Jacob’s eyes. Shoving to his feet, Oliver strolled over and wrapped his arms around Jacob’s shoulders, letting Jacob rest his head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jacob. I handled this all wrong. I should’ve come right out and told you what I knew, but I didn’t want to scare you off. The other thing was I wasn’t entirely sure you were the right guy. It wasn’t until I saw you come to my rescue that night before I was a hundred percent sure.” “I was afraid to tell you about me because I thought you’d turn away from me and think I was crazy like Serena’s boyfriend did. I knew you wouldn’t try to put me away, but still it would’ve ripped out my heart to have you turn from me.” Jacob pulled away and wiped his face. Oliver started to deny he’d do that, but he stopped and thought about it. “I hate to admit it. I probably would’ve thought you were crazy. I wouldn’t have done anything about it except feel bad about such a handsome man having lost all his marbles.” Jacob chuckled like Oliver wanted him to do. “Why did Serena tell you about us?” Jacob strolled over to the counter and leaned against it, folding his arms over his chest. I’d gone to the hospice with Lizzie. It was the night of the full moon. Serena was sitting in her chair, staring out into the night sky. I asked her if she wanted to go outside, and she shook her head.” Oliver took his seat again, folding his hands and resting them on the table. Jacob grunted. “She knew once her skin felt the moon on it, she’d have changed, and as sick as she must have been, she would never have survived that.” “That’s what she told me. I’m afraid I thought her mind had 142

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gone. She was fading fast, like she no longer had any will to live. Yet she asked me to stay and said she needed to talk to someone about her regrets.” Oliver didn’t look up at his lover. “I spent the night listening to her tell me about her family and how she abandoned them because of fear.” “Serena should’ve stayed. I’d have helped her. We were the only ones left. Humans killed the rest of our pack when the whites moved here. Just like the real wolves, they decimated us before we even really got a chance to think about how to keep ourselves safe. I was on the east coast, working on my schooling, when I got a letter telling me that my father had been killed. That made me the new alpha and I needed to go home to protect my pack. By the time I returned, there was only one of my uncles, my mother, and Serena still alive.” Oliver nodded. “She said your uncle never returned one night after going for a hunt. You assumed he was dead and after that, you did your best to keep her from harm.” “I did, but she was young and didn’t understand the danger. Her boyfriend seduced her and then broke her heart. I was alone after she left, never wanting anyone else in my life because I couldn’t trust that they wouldn’t leave me either.” Jacob chuckled harshly. “I wasn’t counting on Bobby accosting me in the grocery store and falling in love with you.” “Ummm…” Suddenly Oliver’s mouth went dry. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Jacob loved or would come to love him, but he also knew, even from the small amount of time they’d spent together, how hard it was for Jacob to admit he needed someone that much. Jumping to his feet, Oliver rushed over to Jacob and flung his arms around the man. His lover accepted his embrace and nuzzled 143

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against Oliver’s cheek. “Do you mean it?” “Mean what? That I love you?” He swallowed and nodded. “Yes.” Jacob shrugged, causing Oliver’s heart to skip. “I don’t know what love really is, not anymore. You probably know what love is like better than I do. You have your sister and Bobby.” He gasped as Jacob swept him up into his arms and carried him back upstairs. Resting his head on Jacob’s shoulder, he thought about what Jacob said. Could Jacob have forgotten what it was like to love someone? Jacob set his feet down on the floor and started removing Oliver’s clothes. “Do you feel like you always want to spend time with me?” Jacob grunted with a nod, more determined to get Oliver naked. “Do you wake up in the middle of the night to watch me sleep?” Jacob shot him an odd look, but grunted again. “Does it seem like your day gets better the minute you see me?” He stood, naked as the day he was born, and Jacob’s gaze heated him as Jacob gave him a once-over. Jacob tore off his own clothes and dropped to his knees in front of Oliver. He fisted Oliver’s penis and stroked. “Ah…Jacob, I think you are in love with me.” “Why would you say that?” There was a gleam of humor in Jacob’s eyes. “Because that’s how I feel about you and I love you.” A moan escaped Oliver as Jacob sucked him down to the base of his cock. His eyes rolled back in his head as Jacob swallowed 144

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around his shaft. “Oh, my goodness.” He moaned, rocking his hips and thrusting as deep as Jacob would let him. “Jacob, I love you, and you being a wolf doesn’t matter to me.” Oliver rose up on his toes when Jacob slipped his fingers along his crease, rubbing over his hole. Jacob pressed his thumb into Oliver, stretching and relaxing him enough to be able to take Jacob’s cock. God, Oliver couldn’t wait to take the man in, to feel how Jacob filled him while making love to him. “Jacob, please, I don’t want to come until you’re inside me.” Jacob rumbled low in his chest before coming off Oliver’s cock with a pop and picking him up to lay him on the bed. Oliver grabbed his legs behind the knees and spread them, offering himself up to Jacob. His lover grabbed the lube and a condom out of the nightstand. Oliver raised one eyebrow and grinned. “Do we need to use a condom?” With an answering grin, Jacob tossed the foil packet over his shoulder while popping the top on the bottle. Oliver bit his lip and his cock throbbed as Jacob squirted some slick into his palm to coat his cock. The excess lube was pushed into Oliver’s channel, helping ease Jacob’s way into him. Arching his back, Oliver lifted his hips and changed the angle. “Shit, Ollie, you’re so fucking tight. Damn, I love fucking your ass.” Jacob’s fingers bit into Oliver’s hips, holding him still as Jacob rode him hard and fast. Oliver yelled out as Jacob nailed his gland with every thrust in and stroke out. Tingling started in his spine, building pressure in his balls. He kept one hand braced against the headboard and wrapped his other hand around his own erection. 145

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He kept his grip tight, but Jacob’s movements allowed his cock to pump through his fingers. He locked gazes with Jacob and clenched his inner muscles. Jacob threw his head back and howled as he came, flooding Oliver’s passage with his hot cum. Oliver stroked up and down once, then his seed coated his hand, stomach, and Jacob’s stomach as well. He grunted when Jacob collapsed on him, but entwined his arms and legs around Jacob to keep the man from rolling away from him. “I’m too heavy, honey. I don’t want to crush you.” “I don’t want to let go,” he admitted. Jacob chuckled and rolled. His softened cock slid from Oliver and drew a moan from him. Oliver rested his head on Jacob’s chest, listening to his lover’s heartbeat even out. “I never thought I’d find someone else to love after Brian, but here you are. I didn’t even know if I’d find you when I came up here. I promised Serena I’d at least try to see if you were around. She wanted you to know she regretted leaving, but she could never seem to make it home.” Jacob sighed. “As much as it hurts to know she’s gone, I’m happy to know she wasn’t alone. You’re a good man, Ollie.” He cradled Jacob’s face with his hands and brushed his thumb over Jacob’s bottom lip. “You’re a wonderful man as well, Jacob Tasker. Don’t believe otherwise. Together, we’re going to raise sheep and help wolves come back to the forest.” “I love you, and I’m glad. It’s been lonely not hearing the songs of my brothers winging through the night sky anymore. I can’t wait to join them as they greet the moon.” “They won’t hurt you, will they?” He was concerned that the 146

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wolf pack he was planning on re-introducing would try and kill Jacob to take his territory. Jacob’s rough laughter filled the bedroom. “Don’t worry. They won’t try anything with me. I’ve marked my territory and they’ll know who is alpha. Hey, if you knew I was the wolf, why did you go looking for me?” He smiled and winked. “I couldn’t let on I knew until you trusted me enough to tell me. Hey, are Javier and Dillon shifters as well?” “I can’t tell you that. It’s for them to tell you.” With a heave, Jacob lifted Oliver and set him on the bed before he climbed off to head toward the bathroom. Oliver rolled over onto his stomach, watching Jacob’s muscular ass flex as he walked. Running water told him what Jacob was doing and he let his eyes drift closed while he waited for his lover to return. “Roll over.” He didn’t open his eyes, just moved onto his back and let Jacob clean him up. After a soft splat told him that Jacob had tossed the washcloth back toward the other room, he glanced up as Jacob rejoined him in the bed. They snuggled together, arms and legs entwining until it became impossible to tell where he began and Jacob ended. “Thank you for finding me, Ollie,” Jacob whispered against his ear. He leaned back slightly, looking up at Jacob with tears in his eyes. “Thank you and your wolf for loving me, Jacob.” Jacob wiped the tears from Oliver’s cheeks and brushed a gentle kiss over his mouth before settling back. Oliver slowly drifted asleep, knowing they would build their own pack. There might only be the two of them, along with Lizzie and Bobby, but 147

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they would make it, and Jacob would never feel alone again.

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EPILOGUE The sunset bathed the buildings and pens with a brilliant orange-red glow. Oliver stared out into the hills behind Jacob’s house. Their house now. It had been six months since Oliver and Jacob met. Oliver still worked for the Department of the Interior, but he monitored the wolves they’d released on federal land near Jacob’s territory. He sipped his beer and savored the quiet of the slowly encroaching darkness. Many nights he and Jacob sat out on the deck, listening to the wolves singing. Sometimes, Jacob would get up and shift, taking off to run with the pack who accepted him as its alpha when he chose to be with them. Having the wolves around eased something inside Jacob. Oliver knew it wasn’t like having his own family back, but it helped Jacob let go of some of 149

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the pain. A warm hand rested on the nape of his neck and he arched into the touch, moaning slightly as Jacob leaned down to nuzzle his cheek. Oliver turned his face, breathing in Jacob’s earthy scent of sweat, horse, and all man. Their kiss held love and need since Jacob had been out with the sheep all day. After they broke apart, Jacob flopped into the rocking chair next to Oliver and took a swig from his own bottle of beer. He rubbed his bare feet over Oliver’s, asking, “Did you have a good day?” “Yes. I tracked the female back to their den. I’m hoping they’ll be having puppies next spring.” Jacob’s smile was soft. “It’ll be nice to have some young ones around. Wolf pups are different than dogs. Oh, I got a call from someone interested in one of Bella’s offspring. He said he’d train it, so once I do a little checking, I could ship one off to him.” “Do you make sure the person you’re sending your dogs is the right fit for them?” Oliver scooted his chair closer to Jacob and lifted his feet to rest on his lover’s thighs. Jacob nodded. “Of course. I can’t keep all of them—just don’t have the room—but I’m not going to send them off to someone who might injure or neglect them. They’re still mine.” “You’re a good man, Jacob Tasker.” He laughed as Jacob flipped him the finger. He rubbed his toes over the bulge in Jacob’s jeans, relishing the low rumble coming from Jacob. “Andrew called. He managed to arrest three of the men who attacked me. Von Hausling was one of them.” He met Jacob’s concerned gaze and smiled, trying to reassure him that he was okay. 150

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“I’ll have to testify at their trials, but I’m all right with that. If my testimony can get them put in jail, I’ll feel safer for the wolves.” Oliver thought back to the night Jacob took him into his secret room. He’d cried at the sight of all those wolf pelts. It had broken his heart to know each of those represented one of Jacob’s pack. Jacob had tracked down each hunter and stolen the pelts back, not wanting any human to have such a treasure in his possession. Sometimes on the full moon, when Oliver woke up alone in their bed, he’d go to the room and find Jacob curled up on the floor, spending time with his family the only way he could. The wolf accepted Oliver as his mate and allowed him to sleep there, entwined together in the moonlight. Jacob was a beautiful wolf, large and powerful, and Oliver loved spending time with him out in the woods. Jacob rarely shifted close to the house, not wanting to risk being seen by Oliver’s colleagues if they dropped in. “Oh, we have another group of biologists arriving two days from now.” Grimacing, Jacob swallowed more of his beer. “How long is this bunch staying?” “Only a week, then Javier and Dillon will be coming for a visit.” Jacob’s eyes lit up at the mention of his friends. “Hopefully they’ll get here before the storm moves in. We’re going to get hit by a fall snowstorm soon.” “Your animal instincts tell you that?” he teased. “No. The Weather Channel told me that this morning before I rode out. Jackass.” Jacob tickled the bottom of Oliver’s feet. Oliver snorted and giggled, trying to free himself from Jacob’s 151

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grip. Soon they were wrestling on the deck and, like always, Jacob pinned him. Staring up into Jacob’s hazel eyes, Oliver saw all the love he could ever want shining in them. He reached up and cradled the back of Jacob’s head, pulling him down to kiss. Their mouths fit together perfectly, just like the rest of their bodies. Oliver spread his legs, allowing Jacob to slip between them and rock their groins against each other. He moaned into Jacob’s mouth as he arched up, increasing the pressure. Within seconds, the slow, gentle kisses turned steaming hot and wet. Jacob nibbled along Oliver’s bottom lip, bathing the stinging flesh with his tongue before moving on to another spot. Before Oliver could even think, he was naked, sprawled out on top of their clothes with Jacob exploring every inch of him. Their passion for each other grew stronger every moment they spent together. His day didn’t start right without a kiss from Jacob and it wasn’t time to sleep without making love with Jacob until he almost passed out from the pleasure. “Oh, Jacob…” He groaned as Jacob licked a line up his cock from the base to the tip. He never thought he was the type to have sex out in the open, but Jacob would ambush him at different times and take him wherever they happened to be. His lover wasn’t shy and didn’t worry about anyone walking in on them. Jacob’s sensual nature came out in so many ways. “Umpf…” He grunted as Jacob flipped him over onto his stomach and helped him onto his hands and knees. “Oh, fuck,” he shouted when Jacob plunged his tongue into Oliver’s passage, breaching the tight ring. The first time Jacob rimmed him, Oliver had come just from the man’s tongue. He’d become addicted to the feel of that hot, 152

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flexible muscle stretching him. Thank God, Jacob seemed to enjoy doing it as much as Oliver adored being on the receiving end. Oliver wrapped his hand around his own cock and rocked back and forth between the two sensations. Saliva dripped down Oliver’s crease, coating his balls as they drew tighter to his body. “Jacob, love, I’m gonna…” He whined as Jacob pulled away from him. He found himself whirled around and on his back again, his legs over Jacob’s shoulders, while his lover poised at his opening. Keeping their gazes locked, he reached down and grabbed Jacob’s cock, tugging gently to get him to move. With one smooth stroke, Jacob seated himself deep inside Oliver. They both shouted as Jacob’s dick nailed Oliver’s gland and sparks shot through Oliver, making each nerve ending fire. “Oh, God! Oh, God!” Sweat dripped from Jacob’s chin onto Oliver’s chest as he thrust in and out of Oliver’s channel. All words vanished from Oliver’s vocabulary as his climax built until all he could do was moan while Jacob reamed him. He stared up at Jacob and watched in wonder as Jacob’s eyes began to change from the hazel he knew and loved to the wolf’s golden amber. At the height of his passion, Jacob always lost a little control over his animal and it came to the surface. Oliver loved knowing how much Jacob wanted and loved him. It showed every time Jacob let Oliver see the wolf. Oliver’s climax hit him hard and fast, plunging him over the edge and almost into oblivion. Hot liquid spilled across his stomach, coating it. His inner passage clamped around Jacob’s shaft and massaged it with each wave of pleasure rippling through Oliver. 153

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“Jacob, please.” One more brutal slam in and Jacob froze, his head thrown back and a howl tearing from his throat. Heat flooded Oliver and he groaned as Jacob’s cum filled him, marking him as Jacob’s once more. As Jacob collapsed, his lover rolled so Oliver lay on top instead of being crushed onto the hard wood deck by Jacob’s weight. After catching his breath, Oliver propped his chin on his hands and grinned at Jacob. “How did I survive these last five years without you?” Jacob shrugged. “Maybe your heart knew it had more love to give.” “Maybe.” A song lifted into the night sky, and Jacob tensed. Oliver slid off his lover and grabbed his jeans, tugging them on as Jacob climbed to his feet. He watched Jacob balance on the edge of the deck and listen intently to the wolf’s howl. Another one joined in, and Oliver shivered. He loved how wild and free those songs sounded, drifting through the night sky. “It sounds like our pack is hunting,” he commented. Jacob shook his head. “Then what are they doing?” As Jacob turned to look at him, the wolves’ voices rose again, only this time they were closer. Oliver frowned. The pack he’d released onto federal land rarely came so close to Jacob’s property. They recognized the boundaries Jacob had set for them. “Those aren’t your wolves,” Jacob muttered, a frown appearing on his forehead. Excitement coursed through him. “You mean, we have new wolves? That’s great news. The team will be pumped to hear that 154

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wolves are re-establishing themselves without our help.” The tension humming through Jacob’s body alerted Oliver to the fact they weren’t alone anymore. Looking out toward the edge of the yard, closest to the horse barn, he spied two wolf-like shapes, one slightly bigger than the other. After leaping from the deck, Jacob loped over to them. Oliver followed, but at a distance. It confused the animals when they were overwhelmed by the smell of wolf and man. They would be unsure about trusting their own senses. “Who are you?” Oliver bit back a gasp as the wolves transformed into two young men, both in their mid-twenties. “I thought you said there weren’t any more of you around,” he accused Jacob. “They aren’t my pack.” Jacob didn’t look away from them. “Who are you?” The older one tilted his head to the side in a show of submission. “I’m Edmundo and this is my lover, Pedro. We’re looking for a place to survive.” “I’m not running a sanctuary here.” Oliver opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. It wasn’t his place to tell Jacob what to do and helping Edmundo and Pedro could put Jacob’s secret and life at risk. He stepped closer to Jacob, touching his back just to let him know he supported him. “We understand, sir. Javier told us that you might have work for us.” Edmundo kept his gaze lowered, and Pedro stayed behind him, either too scared or shy to say anything. “Javier, huh?” Jacob sighed. “I should’ve known the bastard would do something like this.” “He and his mate saved Pedro’s life after he got beaten up 155

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where we lived last.” Edmundo reached back to pat Pedro’s hip. “We’ll pull our weight, sir. I just want to live somewhere I don’t have to worry Pedro will get hurt for something he can’t help.” Keeping his mouth shut grew more difficult, but again Oliver accepted that it was Jacob’s decision. As much as Oliver wanted to help the young men, he knew Jacob had survived this long by not bringing attention to himself. Hiring these two could cause Jacob more problems. “We are even willing not to shift.” Edmundo straightened his shoulders and lifted his gaze, meeting Jacob’s squarely for the first time. “We love each other, sir, and to us, that’s more important than our wolves.” Jacob growled low in his throat, and Edmundo dropped his eyes. Pedro whimpered slightly, burrowing his face in between Edmundo’s shoulder blades. Shoving a hand through his hair, Jacob shook his head with an exasperated laugh. “I’m not going to hurt you. Javier sent you here for a reason, and aside from Ollie, Javier’s the only man I trust. Do you have any bags?” Edmundo shook his head. “All right. I think Ollie’s clothes will fit you until we can order you some new stuff. Come on. There’s a little apartment in the horse barn. You can sleep there. You’re more than welcome to join Ollie and me for meals.” Jacob stalked away, but Edmundo and Pedro stayed where they were. Oliver waited to see how long it took before Jacob realized they weren’t following him. After a few strides, Jacob turned back. “What?” “We can’t take charity.” Pride was evident in every one of Edmundo’s words. 156

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“I didn’t say this was charity. I need someone to help herd the sheep. I’m thinking about expanding my dog breeding business. With more work, I’ll need more hands. After a little training, you two should work out fine.” Edmundo turned and whispered to Pedro, who studied both Oliver and Jacob before nodding. “Thank you, sir.” “My name is Jacob and this is my mate, Ollie—or Oliver.” Jacob headed toward the horse barn. Oliver grinned at the two men. “Welcome to the pack.”

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T. A. CHASE

T. A. Chase lives a life without boundaries. Being fascinated by life and how different we all are, he writes about the things that make us unique. He finds beauty in all kinds of love and enjoys sharing those insights. He lives in the Midwest with his partner of twelve years. When he isn’t writing, he’s watching movies, reading and living life to the fullest. *

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Don’t miss Allergies by T. A. Chase, available at AmberAllure.com! What’s a shapeshifter to do when the man he desperately wants is allergic to him? Raymond Marvels never imagines his call to the IT department at his graphics design job would result in his meeting Lou Canis, the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen. There’s one small problem, though—Ray is allergic to Lou. Yet his allergy is only one of the weird things going on between them. Lou, a werewolf, isn’t sure how to fix the situation, because it seems his would-be lover’s allergy is to Lou’s human form and not his canine one. Lou decides to tell Ray his deep dark secret, which

has unexpected results when Ray embraces both sides of Lou. Yet after a witch doctor gives Ray some medicine to solve his problem, Ray and Lou discover they must also face a dangerous conspiracy evolving around them…

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