Shifting Changes

(The First Shift)

Sage Marlowe

Fulfilling a duty could be so much

fun…

Shayonn has been special his entire

life. He is the future king of Atraya, a
small kingdom populated with tiger
shifters like him, but there is more to
him. He is one of the few white tigers
left and destined to save his rare breed
from extinction. Finding the one female
in a million that will allow him to fulfil
his duty would be great—too bad that
Shayonn prefers to share his bed with

men.

Faolan is a lone wolf in many ways.

Alienated from his own kind because of
his low pedigree, he leads a life at the
border of his species, roaming the
country and taking jobs where he can get
them. Working as a guard for the tiger
shifter community, he knows exactly
what he has to do when he meets a stray
one.

Tarina has never been special. She’s

just an ordinary woman, who enjoys her
pleasures when she can get them. She
also happens to be a shifter, but she’s
just another plain brown tigress among
many others—until one day, a gorgeous
white male singles her out as the future
mother of his babies.

When those three get together in

different pairings, their mutual attraction
is immense, but there is that issue of
finding the right mate for every one of
them.

Reader advisory: This book contains

sexually explicit scenes (MF and MM,
including spanking and bondage) and
is only suitable for adult readers.

SHIFTING CHANGES (The First

Shift)

©Copyright Sage Marlowe 2013 all

content, including cover art

First published in February 2013 by

Sage Marlowe

The

unauthorised

reproduction

distribution of this copyrighted work is
illegal. Criminal copyright infringement,
including infringement without monetary
gain, is punishable.

All characters and events in this book

are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual

persons living or dead is strictly
coincidental.

Dear Reader,

If you purchased this copy of Shifting

Changes (The First Shift), thank you
very much. I hope you will enjoy my
work. If you have received this ebook
for free, in any other way than as a gift
or a prize from myself, or as a special
offer from a renowned distributor, then
please be aware that it is an illegal
copy. I, the author, have put a lot of time
and effort into creating this book for
your enjoyment. I do not receive any
reimbursement for illegally distributed

(pirated)

books.

Writing

livelihood. If I don’t get paid for my
work, I cannot do it, it’s as simple as
that.

Please respect this and do not support

illegal file sharing and copyright
infringement. Thank you.

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit

scenes (including, but not limited to, gay
sex, anal sex, bondage and spanking) and
is only suitable for adult readers.

Dedication

To my Facebook friends who kept

asking for shifters and a lady—you

know who you are, and luckily, so do I.

SHIFTING CHANGES

(The First Shift)

SAGE MARLOWE

Chapter 1

“What do you mean, half a room?”

Faolan forced himself to keep his voice
above the threatening growl that
frequently wanted out when he was
angry but still, the young blonde
receptionist in front of him took an

instinctive step back. “I’m sorry, sir.
That’s what your booking says. You
booked half a room.”

“Why on earth would I book half a

room? Where’s the sense in that?
Besides, what is half a room? Doesn’t it
have a wall?”

The pretty blonde, Tara, according to

the name tag on her chest, blinked.
Another instinctive response from her,
this time to the intense stare of his deep
brown eyes.

“Of course it has a wall. Four of

them, to be precise. Half just means
you’ll have to share it with—”

“Share? Share a room? Who with?”
“Another guest.”
“No, really? Another guest? Now

who would’ve thought that?”

She lifted her chin and squared her

shoulders defiantly, trying to mask her
discomfort, but Faolan could smell her
fear. The bittersweet, tangy scent of her
sweat filled his nostrils and appealed to
that part of him that was longing to get
out.

He felt the familiar tingle at the top of

his spine as his body tried to raise
hackles that weren’t there. He lowered
his head and tilted it to the side in a
wordless offer of peace, but again, she
didn’t seem to understand. Humans and
their retarded senses.

Faolan lifted a hand and raked back

his hair. The thick strands were soft
from the salty air. “Look, miss, all I

want is a peaceful, quiet holiday. Some
time to relax, okay? Having a roommate
doesn’t really fit in with that plan, don’t
you think?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” the blonde said and

exhaled a barely suppressed sigh. “But
this is what you booked. Of course we
would be happy to switch your booking,
but we’re full. There isn’t room for so
much as a mouse in this hotel. At least
not if it wants to sleep in a bed,” she
added with a quirk of her eyebrows.

Faolan’s lip twitched, but he fought

back the sneer. Had she just compared
him to a mouse? The growl vibrated
deep in his chest but fortunately the
surrounding clatter of a small group of
people

passing

and

dragging

suitcases on wheels after them drowned
out the noise he made. It showed how
much in need of a holiday he was.
Normally he was far better at controlling
his instincts when in human form.

Glancing past Faolan at the next

person in line, Tara said, “So, Mr Stone,
I will check you in now, unless you’d
like to make a pass on your stay here
altogether?”

She made it sound like a question but

the order was clear in her voice and he
had to admire her self-confident, proud
stance. Given that she was a five foot
five, slender female and he a six foot
one, broad-shouldered man with wrists
as thick as her calves, she was quite
astonishingly pert.

Maybe he had misjudged her. Maybe

she was indeed some kind of a shifter.
He couldn’t figure her out, but the more
he thought about it, the more it seemed
like a serious possibility. She could
have well been a big cat, a leopard
perhaps. He took a closer look. Yes, that
would fit her. Her long blonde hair had a
yellowish tinge in it, and the skin on her
neck where he could see the inviting
stretch of soft skin might have been
spotted, although that could’ve just been
a trick of the light. Faolan winced.

She was hot, there was no denying

that, and she had the confidence and
looks he appreciated in a partner, short,
slight and feline, but she was also very
much a female.

Not that that had ever stopped him on

those occasions when he’d been
desperate for a play partner, and just
like then, he was ready to give it a go
with her. At least he was apparently not
the only shifter in the place.

He smiled at her. “Check me in.”

* * * *

Muttering colourful curses, Shayonn

slammed his way into the cabin. The
door was tiny, which in itself would
have been a problem for his six foot four
frame, but it made it almost impossible
to drag the suitcase inside. Or maybe
dragging the suitcase was bound to be
difficult anyway because of its sheer

weight and size.

“My goodness, did you bring your

entire wardrobe along?”

The deep and not unpleasant voice

made Shayonn jump in surprise. He
dropped his suitcase. “Ouch!” Hopping
up and down, he tried to rub his foot
while looking around the minuscule
chamber to find the speaker. When he
did, he forgot all about the pain in his
squashed toes. He licked his lips. Licked
them again and promptly wished he was
in shifted form.

The man who sat on one of the two

narrow beds was gorgeous. Gorgeous
with a G. Lickable. The kind of man
Shayonn longed to rub his head on—and
not just to mark him as his own. Leaping

into his lap, curling up and purring
wasn’t the worst option either. Or maybe
throwing him onto the floor, biting his
neck, and showing him exactly what he
was made of. “My, my, I can’t believe
room service has fulfilled my order so
quickly,” Shayonn said, watching a pair
of thick black eyebrows draw together.

“What?”
“Tall, dark and handsome. Just the

way I like it.” Shayonn was close to
purring indeed now. The guy was
adorable and just thinking of what those
strong, broad hands could do to him,
stroke his back…caress his fur…play
with his ears… Shayonn shuddered. He
loved to have his ears played with, at
least when he was in his shifted form,

which he wasn’t very often anymore. In
human form, he’d give anyone who was
stupid enough to try it a punch. “Do you
have a name, too?”

“Faolan.”
“Mmm, nice. Please say you’re my

other half.”

“Oh, I guess I’d know if I were,”

Faolan replied. It sounded like a growl.

Shayonn grinned and sat on the bed to

test the mattress. Not too soft but not too
hard either. Pliable. Bouncy. Perfect for
hard, fast rides. He clenched his fingers
in a handful of smooth, cool cotton
sheets. They’d be perfect on bare skin.
Like a lover’s kiss. And they smelled so
nice. A faint meowling sound escaped
his lips. He thought the sexy stranger

must have heard it, but when he looked
up, the man glared at him.

“ Wo ul d you?” he asked gravely.

Anger sparked in those dark brown eyes
and Shayonn was lost. The deep, rich
sound of Faolan’s voice made him tingle
all over and the underlying tension had
him itching to shift and tackle the man
for a romp. Not that he was frightened of
the big hunk—no. He was smitten. And
that in itself could be dangerous. “Would
I what?” Shayonn asked, lightheaded
with excitement.

“Know if I were your other half?”

Handsome flashed a humourless smile.
“Surely if I indeed was your other half,
you’d recognise me? Or is this perhaps
your honeymoon and you didn’t see your

bride before the wedding so you don’t
know what she looks like?”

Shayonn’s good mood evaporated

like a patch of fog in a storm, as always
when

the

conversation

turned

weddings. He answered the smile with a
scowl. “You’re full of shit, aren’t you?”

“Easy, puppy, don't get cheeky. I

might be taller than you are.”

Shayonn froze. “What?”
“You heard.”
“Yes, and apparently you need help

handling that big head of yours. You’re
at least two inches shorter—”

“I’m not talking of this shape.”
Shayonn gaped at him. He took a

breath and his mouth shaped words, but
no sound came out. Faolan must have

realised that he was right. He sniffed the
air, probably trying to figure out what he
was dealing with. Would he be able to
place the characteristic scent? Or would
he just identify Shayonn as some kind of
feline, without being able to define what
breed exactly?

“Now that we have that out of the

way, how about you tell me your name?”
Faolan suggested.

“Shayonn.” Shayonn had surprised

himself by replying promptly. He bit his
lip and clenched his fists. Bloody idiot,
why did you give him your real name?

“Nice. Exotic. I like it. Reminds me

of home. Not a plain human name either.
Is that just the name or is there more to
that?”

Shayonn shifted his weight as he

watched the other man. This was
becoming far more dangerous than what
he’d bargained for. “I have no idea what
you’re talking about.”

“Of course you have,” Faolan

replied. “No need to hide it. I’m in the
same boat. So come on, spit it out—what
are you?”

“I’m just the guy who shares this

room with you,” Shayonn grumbled.
“And I intend to make this a relaxing and
quiet stay, so how about you keep your
curiosity to your side of the room?”

“Whoa, kid—”
“I mean it!” Shayonn snapped and

Faolan shut up.

Chapter 2

Three days later, Faolan looked up

from the book he was trying to read.
Shayonn, the little nuisance had just
tossed another sweets wrapper at the bin
and missed. Leaning back, Faolan
rubbed his forehead, then pressed the
balls of his hands onto his eyes. All he
had wanted was to be somewhere quiet
and peaceful, in a place where people

were busy enjoying their holidays and
only interested in themselves and their
recreational delights. Instead he’d ended
up with one of the nosiest and least
vacationally-inclined guys he’d ever
met. Unfortunately the guy was also one
of the hottest he’d ever met.

Trying not to reveal that he was

looking, he watched the other man from
the corners of his eyes. Shayonn. It was
a nice name. Faolan couldn’t quite place
it, but it reminded him of the home he
had once known. The bad thing about
Shayonn was that he was constantly in
motion. And he smelled so delicious.
His scent had filled the room ever since
he’d entered it, teasing Faolan with the
heavy aroma of male body and the

underlying, alluring fragrance of the
animal he was.

Despite his earlier announcement of

making this a quiet holiday, Shayonn
constantly fidgeted in some way. Even
when he stared at the darned TV, he did
something else simultaneously. He
chuckled

quietly

and

himself.

Unwrapped a chocolate bar. Opened a
bottle. Got up and walked around.
Twitched. Scratched his belly. Rubbed
his chin. Played with his hair.

“Stop it, for fuck’s sake!” Faolan

yelled.

Shayonn turned his head, eyebrows

raised. “What?”

“That!” Faolan waved his hands to

indicate the room. Damn, he needed to

move. Why had he decided to stay in a
bloody hotel? He should’ve known it
would make him feel trapped and itching
to run. Run. That was it. He needed to
run.

Watching

the

bewildered

and

annoyingly

amused

expression

Shayonn’s face, Faolan slammed his
laptop shut, got up and crossed the room.
He yanked open the door to the tiny
bathroom and snatched a towel off the
rack. Spinning around, he nearly
smacked his head on the doorframe, but
his instincts kicked in and he dodged it.
Instead, he slammed his flat hand on it,
feeling a perverted sense of satisfaction
when Shayonn jumped at the sudden
sharp noise, then he grabbed his water

bottle and left. The door fell shut with a
loud bang.

Out on the long, narrow aisle, Faolan

took a moment to breathe deeply. He
was angry. His rage was legendary
amongst his friends. The few of them he
had anyway. He couldn’t help it. The
bursts of blind fury just welled up and
took over and he considered himself
lucky if he managed to get out of
whatever situation had brought them
about without hurting anyone.

Making a chance decision, he turned

left and strolled down the hallway at a
fast pace until he reached the end with
its colourful direction board. He glanced
at the letters, searching for the word that
would bring him relief. Good. There it

was. And not far away either. Just a few
doors and another aisle separated him
from what little freedom he could allow
himself. By the time he burst into the
small gym, he was so excited his leg
muscles twitched in anticipation.

He barely noticed that someone was

in the room already. Whoever it was
occupied the workout bench and Faolan
didn’t care much for that. The only thing
he cared for was the treadmill. He
hopped on, punched the on-button and
set the speed at a ridiculously high level
to start with. He didn’t care about pulled
or sore muscles either. In fact, he
welcomed the ache as it distracted him
from his burning anger.

The ground underneath him shifted as

the machine whirred into life and
Faolan’s body jolted into action. He
observed his motions almost passively.
His legs moved, eating up the endless
distance of the spinning belt. His heart
rate shot up, going from a moderate
seventy to about a hundred and twenty in
seconds. It didn’t get much higher than
that, not from just running.

Faolan’s body was made to run, in

either form. He opened his mouth, as
usual suppressing the urge to let his
tongue loll out. Oh, how he wished he
was at home, on the sibling machine in
his own basement where he could run in
the shape he felt most comfortable in. Or
better yet, he wanted to be in the forest,
on a hot summer’s day, shielded from a

bright blue sky and blistering sunlight by
the towering trees on either side of an
endless path.

Closing his eyes, Faolan tried to

concentrate on the image. He wanted the
ground uneven but soft, cushioned by the
leaves that the trees around him had
shed.

The air was hot and rich with oxygen

and the scents of nature. The mouldy
smell of a patch of damp moss on a dead
tree trunk. The earthy aroma that drifted
from the ground where wild boars had
dug for food earlier. Better not bump
into one of them, he mused, or things
might get nasty.

He opened his eyes, only just enough

to see where the control panel was. He

increased the level, forcing his body
along at breakneck speed until he felt the
muscles in his legs scream from the
strain. His feet pounded out a steady
rhythm, loud in the peaceful silence of
the daydream he’d created. Sweat
poured from every pore, forming rivulets
and running along his neck, his back and
chest, seeping between his thighs on the
way down his legs.

The moisture dampened his shorts

and the thin fabric clung to his body like
a second skin. It felt strangely good. It
hugged his groin, his balls, and his own
movements created a friction that made
his dick twitch in hope. Of course it did.
Amazing it had taken so long for it to
begin to fill. Faolan knew why his

temper boiled over so easily these days.

He needed a mate, someone who

could keep up with him in the bedroom
and out of it. But someone like that was
hard to find. Someone who shared his
sexual appetite and wasn’t afraid to face
the animal he was on the inside—and
sometimes on the outside. Oh, how he
wished for someone he wouldn’t have to
be careful with in either shape. His last
lover had been a human, no shifter, so
not much chance for unrestrained sex
there.

Another wolf would have been nice,

but that just wasn’t an option.

“Do you intend to go on much

longer?” The voice was soft and sweet,
and yet it yanked Faolan out of his

thoughts with an intensity that made him
lose his rhythm. Tripping up, he made a
couple of frantic leaps to stay on the
treadmill and find his pace again. His
heart raced as he realised that he’d been
close to shift. Instinct kicking in. The
same instinct that made him flare his
nostrils as he caught the whiff of female
sweat that tickled his nose. He glanced
at the girl. It was the cute receptionist
who had checked him in. No name tag
this time, and she was in a tank top and
cotton hot pants, so off duty. Faolan
licked his lips.

No name tag. Only the swell of firm

but generously sized breasts under a
tight-fitting green top. Her nipples were
hard, two naughty little pebbles that

taunted him to touch, taste and tease them
with his tongue.

He hit the off button, again nearly

sending himself careening off the
machine as it ground to an abrupt halt.

The woman’s soft chuckle caressed

his ear. “Watch your step,” she said in a
throaty purr. A shudder ran down
Faolan’s spine. He had a thing about
purrs and cats, and this one was
tempting. She must have been a cat. The
way she stared at him with slightly
narrowed, almond-shaped eyes was
unmistakable. Only real shifters could
manage a look like that. Only real
shifters could appeal to the animal
inside him with an intensity that made
him tingle all over with excitement.

Faolan growled. The woman grinned.
“I knew it!” she said. “You’re one of

us!”

“Hardly,” Faolan muttered. “I’m not

your kind.”

“No, you’re not,” she agreed, tilting

her head as she scrutinised over his face.
Then she trailed her gaze over his body,
assessing him with those mischievous
honey coloured eyes until she came to a
halt at his crotch. She didn’t even try to
conceal it, just checked him out openly.
It seemed she liked what she saw.
Raising her hand, she brought a finger to
her mouth. Her lips parted and she took
the fingertip in, dragging it across the
soft, velvety skin. Faolan nearly fainted
as the blood rushed to his groin. He

didn’t know if she was only teasing him,
but she was darned good at it if she was.
He wanted her, and was aching already.
His cock was hard against his stomach,
throbbing in time with his overexcited
heart beat.

“What do you want?” he muttered,

aware that he was nearly growling the
words.

She smiled, still resting that finger on

her lips and flashing pearly white teeth
amidst the pink of her mouth. “Isn’t that
obvious?”

“Uh…” Faolan didn’t know what to

say. It was obvious, yes, or so he hoped.
“Why me?”

She laughed. “There aren’t many like

us around here. I’m sure you know the

problem. Humans just aren’t up for what
we want.”

“What are you?”
“Can’t you guess?”
“Some kind of cat. A big one,

probably.”

She cocked her head and pursed her

lips. “It doesn’t matter, does it? All that
matters is that we are here. I’m not
interested in shifting anyway, but I need
you to understand that there is more
about me than what you see.”

“Okay. Do we have this room to

ourselves?”

“Yes.” She shot him a wink over her

shoulder as she walked to the door and
raised a key ring. “For as long as we
want to.” She pushed the key in the lock

and turned it around, then walked back
to him with slow, teasing steps. Faolan’s
cock twitched. She was driving him mad
with this slow torture.

She stopped in front of him, head

tilted to the side and lips curved into a
tempting pout. It was more than he could
bear. He grabbed her, pressed her
slender body to him as he crushed his
mouth to hers. She gasped in surprise
and tensed in his hold, but then she
melted against him, surrendering. He
explored the sweet cavern of her mouth
and savoured her unique flavour but it
was just an appetizer. There was so
much more of her that he wanted to
discover and taste.

She slipped her hands under his T-

shirt, trailed the cords of muscle on his
back upwards and back down, then
squeezed his buttocks. He flexed his
muscles and she giggled into the kiss. It
was nice, so he did it again, but then he
was no longer in the mood for playing.

He lifted her up and carried her to the

weight bench. She moaned a protest
when he laid her down, but he ignored it
and trailed his hands down her front,
cupped her full, heavy breasts and
squeezed them gently. Her moan became
a sound of pleasure. He rubbed her
nipples with his thumbs. They were
erect and pushed against her thin gym top
like two eager buttons waiting to be
pushed, so he pressed them some more
before he followed the line of her flat

stomach further down to the hem of her
shirt and slipped his fingers under it.

He couldn’t wait to see her naked.

Her well-rounded breasts were a
temptation he couldn’t resist and he
leaned down as soon as he had freed
them, brushing a kiss across one and then
the other before he closed his lips
around the left nipple and suckled it. She
let out a small gasp and he bit the
sensitive nub, careful at first then harder
until a soft cry escaped her. He turned to
the right nipple and repeated the action.
She arched up to him, welcoming his
lips and teeth.

He was sorry to let her go so soon,

but he wanted more. Her breasts were
exquisite but there was just so much

more to play with. He trailed a line of
kisses down her peach-skinned belly to
just above her waistline. She didn’t
complain when he tugged at her shorts,
so he pulled harder and slid them over
her hips. He’d gripped the little nothing
that was her underwear along with the
cotton shorts, so she was naked now. He
leaned back to appreciate her. She was
beautiful, all creamy smooth skin and
lush curves. Despite her long, slender
legs and arms, she had curves, a nicely
rounded hourglass shape that made him
long to run his tongue over every single
inch of her.

He started with her thighs. They, too,

were soft under his touch and he stroked
up and down their lengths a few times

before he slipped his hands between
them and parted them. She followed his
lead willingly and offered him her core.

Her scent filled his nostrils, sweet

and spicy at the same time and his mouth
watered in anticipation. He lowered his
head and lapped at her. She twitched,
then went still again as he traced her
with his tongue, following each line and
fold until he found the little sensitive
bead.

He took it with his lips, just like her

nipple before and nibbled it in between
lightly flicking it with the tip of his
tongue. Little by little he found out what
she liked and he was fairly pleased with
himself when it didn’t take long until she
gripped his hair and pressed his head

deeper between her legs. She was
moaning almost constantly now. He
risked a quick glance upwards and found
her watching him, plump bottom lip
trapped between her teeth. She was so
beautiful and even more alluring in her
arousal than she had been before.

Reaching up again, he cupped her

breasts and played with her nipples just
like he played with her clit until she
jerked and shuddered underneath him.
Then she went still and he knew he had
the right spot. Just a little longer now,
just a few seconds. He suckled her clit
into his mouth and she came with a high-
pitched wail, writhing and gasping in
orgasm. It was all he could do to give
her until she had caught her breath. He

was so hard for her, aching with the
need to come, and he wanted nothing
more than to sink into her and bury his
swollen flesh in her inviting, moist
folds.

Her flavour was still on his tongue as

he leaned up to kiss her. He was close to
howling with relief when she pressed a
small foil package into his hand. He
didn’t have a clue where she’d got the
condom from and he didn’t care, but he
loved her for it.

Slipping the thin latex glove on was

almost more than he could bear but he
forced himself to hold back. No way
was he going to pass on his chance to
fuck her. He pushed into her and had to
grind his teeth against the overwhelming

sensations she caused in him. She was
so warm, so wonderfully wet and slick
and

her

body

welcomed

him,

surrounding his shaft like a well-fitted
glove.

He thrust into that lush heat. She

moaned and flexed her inner muscles,
nearly sending him over the edge.

“Too much for you?” She grinned up

at him.

“Cheeky,” he growled and thrust into

her again, harder this time. She stopped
grinning and sighed instead, closing her
eyes.

“Too much for you?” he mocked as he

pounded into her with fast, hard stabs

“Nn-nn.”
It obviously wasn’t. She wrapped her

legs around his hips to cling on to him
even as he steadied her with his hands
on her hips. He appreciated the supple
but smooth flesh under his fingers, then
he brought one hand between their
bodies, to that place where they were
united. His cock and her cunt created a
magic of their own. He added his fingers
to the mix, sought out the small bud he’d
played with earlier and rubbed it. He
could barely hold back now as he fucked
her on the low bench, slamming his cock
into her over and over again.

She came first, again, and the

contractions of her inner muscles as she
climaxed wrung his own orgasm from
him. He toppled over the edge after her,
excited and on emotional overload as he

witnessed her pleasure before he closed
his

eyes

and

gave

the

overwhelming sense of relief that swept
through his entire being. He bucked over
her, shot his load inside her body, then
cowered

over

her,

instinctively

protecting his female. The irony wasn’t
lost on him, but he pushed the thought
away and enjoyed the feeling of blissful
exhaustion instead.

“That was…” he started after a while

but he didn’t know what to say to
describe this act so he looked down at
Tara. She smiled.

“Magnificent?” she suggested.
“Hmm. Yes. That sounds good.”
“I knew you were the right choice.”

She pushed against his shoulder and he

took it as his cue to pull out and move
away from her. He removed the condom,
then picked up her shorts and handed
them over. “Did you?”

“Yes.” She flashed a smile as she

grabbed her clothes and pulled them on.
A cute flush tinted her cheeks and her
lips were plump and swollen. Faolan
leaned in and claimed a quick kiss.

“I’m not the only one around, you

know,” he whispered, chiding himself
the moment the words were out.

“Aren’t you?”
“No. My roommate,” he explained in

response to her raised eyebrows.

“Hmm. Good to know. My colleague

checked him in and I haven’t met him yet
but what she said about him made me

assume you’d be more interested in me
than him.”

“What did she say about him?”
“That he prefers guys.” She picked up

her keys and shot him a wink. “We could
do that again if you’re up for it.”

“You know I am.”
She nodded on her way to unlock the

door. “I do. And maybe we can get that
roommate of yours to play along. I bet
he’d be a lot more willing if you were
part of the package.”

Faolan stared at her in surprise. “You

mean… Both of us?”

Lingering, she smiled back at him.

“Of course. Or do you fear the
competition? He could fuck you while
you fuck me.” She didn’t give him time

to digest this revelation and come up
with an answer. She blew him a kiss and
left him standing, confused but excited
by the suggestion. A threesome. What a
nice thought.

Faolan returned to his room in high

spirits and with a stupid grin on his face.
It had been far too long since he’d had a
quick shag in a public space and he’d
nearly forgotten how good it felt. And
that suggestion of Tara’s kept creating
the most alluring images in his head,
along with keeping him semi-aroused.
Some of his high spirits dropped when
he entered his room. Shayonn had made
a tip of the place. There were sweets
wrappers all over, empty glasses
leaving water-stains on the furniture and

a half-eaten sandwich attracted the flies
where it sat sweating on the coffee table.

The man himself lay curled up on the

sofa, dozing in front of the TV like he
didn’t have a care in the world.

Moving slowly as if approaching

potential prey, Faolan inched his way
closer. There was more than one reason
for him to be careful. He still didn’t
know what the guy was in his other
shape and while was unfairly beautiful
and looked innocent enough with his
light blond, almost white hair and
striking green eyes, it would be foolish
not to take him seriously. That was the
problem with shifters. You never knew
which element of their other shape
showed in their human form.

Chapter 3

Shayonn dreamed of blue skies and

glistening waves. A huge castle, high up
on a cliff, overlooking the bay. Its many
turrets seemed to reach for the sky from
Shayonn’s perspective, and just as they
didn’t stand a hope to ever make it that
far, Shayonn couldn’t get any closer to
the castle. It was too high, and the sharp
rocks were impossible to climb which

was part of the reason his ancestors had
built it in that particular place.

Shayonn knew the scenery and even

in his light, dozy dream he understood
that his subconscious was showing him
images from the past. The meaning of it
wasn’t hard to figure out. A strange
smell tickled his nose and he was awake
in an instant. He couldn’t tell what that
scent was. Nothing he’d ever come
across before, that much he knew. It was
alluring, tempting. Utterly arousing yet at
the same time mystifying. There was
something else in it too, something feral
and ancient that went under his skin and
took a hold of him.

Its powerful effect surprised him. He

was getting hard, which wasn’t all that

astonishing really because the man in
front of him was bloody hot despite the
fact that he scared Shayonn a bit. No,
what was unexpected was that Shayonn
wanted to shift. He had the confusing
urge to change his shape and become the
animal he hid inside.

He opened his eyes and found himself

almost nose to nose with Faolan. All
he’d have to do was move his head an
inch or so and maybe tilt it to the side a
bit and they could kiss. What would
Faolan taste like? Enticing like the
mysterious scent that clung to him or
more like his other self, the hidden one?

They stared into each other’s eyes for

several long, tension-filled heartbeats.
Faolan had seemed angry to start with,

and Shayonn had a good idea why that
was, but then the other man’s set
expression softened and he looked
merely bewildered.

“What are you?” Faolan whispered.
Shayonn let out the breath he’d been

holding in a long sigh. “So you know
what I am?”

“Of course I know. Just tell me what

you’re afraid of.”

“I’m not—” Shayonn fell silent at the

glance Faolan gave him. “I’m having
control issues,” he admitted “When
I’m… You know.”

“In shifted shape?”
“Yes. And when I’m in normal shape,

but then it’s at least a bit easier to deal
with.”

Head tilted to the side, dark

eyebrows raised, Faolan didn’t say
anything, but Shayonn understood the
prompt. He sighed. “I’m less likely to
hurt people.” He was relieved that he
managed to make the lie sound like a
confession. Faolan would buy it. He
seemed like the guy who would
understand that reason.

Faolan blinked only once, and briefly,

and he never really broke the connection
he had with Shayonn’s eyes. “You mean
it has happened then?”

Shayonn bit his lip and nodded.
“Why?”
“Why? What do you mean ‘why’?”

Shayonn asked with a snarl that would
have sent any other person cringing for

shelter, but not Faolan. Shayonn wasn’t
quite sure what the other shifter was, but
doubted that he was physically superior.
Few of them were and it seemed Faolan
understood that, too. Shoulders squared
and head lowered, he exposed the bare
side of his neck in the universal sign of
animal submission. Some of Shayonn’s
anger evaporated at the sight, leaving a
dull ache in its wake. Faolan’s skin was
so inviting, so smooth and not for the
first time, Shayonn wondered what it
would feel like under his fingers.
Against his lips. And what would it taste
like if he licked it?

“You think too much,” Faolan

whispered. “You’re still young. You
have to learn to control these urges but

for that, you have to let yourself feel in
the first place.” His breath was on
Shayonn’s face as he leaned in and
added, “Let yourself be and accept what
you are.”

“What makes you think I don’t?”

Shayonn mumbled. Damn if he let the
grumpy bastard play him like that.

“Hmm, let’s see.” Faolan’s deep

brown gaze flicked across Shayonn’s
face, searching, exploring, questioning.
“You’re a cheeky sod with attitude, yet
when I mention that you’re a shifter, you
get tame and shy like a little lamb. Just
why don’t you accept it?”

Shayonn winced, as usual when

someone got too close to discovering the
secret he kept so well hidden. “I do—

accept it,” he replied reluctantly.

“No, you don’t. You’ve locked

yourself up in a hotel room instead of
going out and roaming the woods the
way you want. The way you should.”

“You do the same,” Shayonn pointed

out.

“I know.” Faolan nodded. “But I do it

because I want a break away from it all.
I need to spend some time among humans
every now and then so I remember what
it’s like.”

“What makes you think it isn’t the

same for me?”

“I just know. You are hiding from

something.” Faolan reached out, trailing
his fingers over Shayonn’s cheek. Sharp
arousal zinged through Shayonn, stronger

than before, and longing burned in his
groin. It had been so long, too long since
he’d been with someone and Faolan was
a temptation he just couldn’t resist. He
needed him. Now. He lunged forward.

“Shh, easy,” Faolan chuckled. He had

taken Shayonn’s impulsive leap well,
merely spreading his arms and wrapping
him in a tight hug.

“I…want…you,” Shayonn ground out

in between pressing frantic kisses to
Faolan’s shoulder. Damn, but the man
tasted delicious. Of salt and sweat, his
own sharp, musky flavour, and this
mysterious other scent that clung to him
and clouded Shayonn’s senses.

“Seems you’ve changed your mind

about me,” Faolan gasped, winding in

Shayonn’s rib-crunching clasp.

“Nn-nn. I’ve wanted you from the

moment I saw you. I know I shouldn’t,
but you’re so damn irresistible. And you
smell so fucking good.”

“Maybe that is because I just had an

intense,

uh,

work

out,”

Faolan

murmured.

“Did you?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Shayonn shrugged and pulled Faolan

closer. “I don’t care if you’re sweaty.
I’ll make you sweat some more and then
I’ll help you clean up, how about that?”

Despite Faolan’s reluctance, his body

responded to the soft motion of Shayonn
rocking against him. A throaty moan
escaped him and yet, he shook his head.

“Honestly, I’m tempted, but not now.
And not until you have told me—”

“I will have you. Right-fucking-now.

Turn around and bend over.”

Faolan opened his mouth, probably to

protest, but Shayonn pressed his lips to
Faolan’s, silencing him with a kiss so
full of passion it was more brutal than
tender. He needed this, so badly, and
when Faolan responded to the urge of
his mouth, Shayonn was close to fainting
with lust. Well, maybe not fainting.
Tilting his hips, he rubbed his achingly
hard cock to Faolan’s groin. There was
a matching bump, an exciting ridge of
aroused male flesh, and Shayonn was
ready to rip the man’s clothes off to get
at it.

The sound of fabric being torn was

loud in the silence of the room. Faolan’s
chuckle followed it, sweet and alluring
at the same time. “I’d tell you to suck it,”
he whispered, “But the way you go at it
tells me I probably shouldn’t.”

“No,

probably

not,”

Shayonn

confirmed with the last bit of coherency
he could muster. “Turn around.”

He pushed at Faolan’s shoulder to

make him move, but Faolan stiffened
against his touch. “Nn-nn, sweetheart.
Not gonna let you jump me like a five
quid whore.”

Shayonn growled. He might have

given it another try, but strong fingers
were curled around his cock and brought
his attention to where it counted. The

hard length of Faolan’s erection was
squashed against his shaft as Faolan
lined up both hard cocks in his crushing
hold.

Shayonn cried out as Faolan moved

his hand, a first, violent yank that
seemed to singe Shayonn’s skin. It was
so good to have someone else’s touch
there instead of just his own hand and
Faolan set up a fast, merciless rhythm.
He was clearly not going to make this
last and every tug felt like he was
willing to force the orgasm from
Shayonn’s body if he had to.

Shayonn couldn’t have resisted it if

he’d tried. He’d been turned on to start
with, and this intense stimulation, rough
and affectionless as it was, made him

ache with the need for release, the need
for this tormenting pressure in his groin,
his balls, his cock to find its way out of
him before he lost control. The tingle in
his skull had already begun, that
prickling sensation that told him his
body was about to change. He didn’t
want it to. Couldn’t allow for it to
happen, not now, least of all now, when
all he wanted was for the pressure to
ease in that delightful moment when he
shot his load over Faolan’s hand and
stomach. He was so close, so ready, but
Faolan didn’t let him.

Leaning in, Faolan whispered close

to Shayonn’s ear, “Ever fucked in shifted
form? If you think this feels good, you
don’t know what an orgasm is when

you’re in your true shape.”

Shayonn screamed. Or maybe he

howled, he couldn’t tell. His world
disappeared, swam out of focus and his
body jerked, helpless in the grip of a
powerful orgasm that tossed him around
like a ragdoll. He felt Faolan twitch and
shudder, felt the pulsing of the other
cock against his own. Breathless, he
sank to the floor. His legs had given out
and he was shaking all over, weak as a
newborn cub. He was vulnerable, and he
hated it. Loved it. Strong muscles flexed
next to him and something warm pressed
to his back. Back? Why back? Faolan
had been in front of him and he had been
mostly naked and not—furry. Silky hairs
tickled Shayonn’s bare skin. He had yet

to open his eyes again but he reached out
anyway, letting his fingers do a first
exploration.

Faolan was big. There was no

denying that. His flanks were huge and
his legs… Bugger, was that one of his
paws? It was massive, a lot bigger than
Shayonn’s human fist, and Shayonn
wasn’t a small guy.

He dragged an eyelid open.
“Oh, fuck.”
Faolan was beautiful, impressive and

yes, almost a match for him if Shayonn
had been in shifted form. Shayonn raked
his fingers through the thick, silky fur. It
was a deep grey, streaked with black
and silver lines.

“I should have guessed,” Shayonn

whispered. “It’s not just your name that
gives it away. It’s in your eyes, too. It’s
in your demeanour. Faolan. Wolf.”

Lowering his head, Faolan nudged

him with his nose. It was an
unexpectedly tender gesture and Shayonn
smiled in spite of himself.

understood and while a mere two
minutes ago he’d been fighting tooth and
claw not to let the beast inside him out, a
strange peace settled over him now. He
concentrated on that part of his being that
he usually kept so well hidden. Not this
time. Now he welcomed it, invited it to
spread out and take over until he could
feel the changes happening. He kept his
eyes closed, not wanting to spoil the
strange magic of the moment by

watching. The transitioning process took
no more than a few seconds, but when it
was over, Shayonn felt like he’d come a
long way. Rolling on his belly, he
pushed his head up and opened his eyes
to look at the big wolf.

* * * *

Faolan could hardly believe what he

saw. He’d tried hard to figure out what
Shayonn was and he’d come up with
some ideas, but he never would’ve
guessed that.

The sight was awe-inspiring. Before

him lay the most magnificent animal he
had ever set eyes on. Shayonn was
exquisite. His snow white, glossy fur

was streaked with a delicate pattern of
jet-black stripes, but the most fascinating
asset were his eyes. Huge and bright
green, they gleamed like two emeralds in
front of a candle. Faolan’s throat had
gone tight. “Oh my goodness, you are
something else.”

The huge white tiger opened his

mouth a little as if he was smiling.
Maybe he was but Faolan was too busy
staring at the massive fangs to focus on
the

details

Shayonn’s

facial

expression. “You are gorgeous.”

“Thank you.”
Shayonn’s thoughts were not easy to

understand. They were inarticulate, like
a person’s voice that hadn’t been used
for too long.

“When was the last time you

shifted?”

Shayonn hesitated. “It’s been a

while.”

“How long?”
“A month. I think. Maybe a little

longer.”

“A month? My goodness, that’s

long. Why? Why do you do this to
yourself?”

“I… I don’t know. It’s safer.”
“For the people around you? Or for

yourself?”

Shayonn didn’t meet Faolan’s eyes.

He shifted his weight. Then he lowered
his head and licked his massive paw. He
was obviously way out of his comfort
zone and Faolan didn’t know if having

this conversation in shifted form was
making it easier for him or just added to
the pressure.

Shayonn gnawed at one of his claws,

gingerly as if he wasn’t all that well
acquainted with his own body, and
maybe he really wasn’t—not with this
version of it. “Both, I guess,” he replied
at last.

“Why? You are one of the most

powerful kinds of shifters. There isn’t
much you have to fear.”

Shayonn let out a snort. Well, it

would have been a snort had he been in
human form, but in his tiger shape it was
more of a growl. “Is that why we’re
nearly extinct?”

“No,

that’s

because

you’re

genetically rare and don’t reproduce
well—oh, gosh, that’s your problem,
isn’t it?” Faolan stared at Shayonn,
watching his features rearrange as the
pieces in his own head fell into place.

Shayonn didn’t meet his eyes. He

licked his paw again.

“You’re not registered, are you?”
Shayonn froze. His huge jaws were

parted to reveal his big, lethal fangs.
“What do you think?”

“Shit.” Faolan sighed. “You don’t

shift

because

you

don’t

want

authorities to know that you exist,
right?”

“Right.”
“I can’t believe you managed to

escape for so long. How old are you?

Twenty-five? Twenty-six?”

“Not quite. I’m twenty-one.”
“Hmm. Still, that’s a long time to

stay under the radar.”

“I know. And I intend to make it last

even longer.” Stubbornness rang in
those words and Shayonn lifted his chin
defiantly.

Faolan’s heart ached. He was well

acquainted with the rules of the tiger
shifter community. Shayonn was a
beautiful beast. His fur was perfect,
thick, long and glossy with those black
stripes on an immaculate white sheet.
And at only twenty-one, he had just
come of age. He was at his sexual prime.
The females who were due their turn
would fight over him. Not that they’d

have to worry. Shayonn’s stunning
emerald eyes were a promising feature.
He possessed a different gene pool and
that meant fresh blood. As soon as his
ancestry was sorted out and his pedigree
evaluated, he would almost certainly get
to service at least half of this year’s
females. It was just a matter of time until
the tiger colony would be flooded with
beautiful, green-eyed cubs.

“Why?” Faolan asked.
Shayonn glared at him with narrowed

eyes. “What do you mean, why?”

“Why are you hiding? Why aren’t

you registered and contribute your
part?”

Shayonn shifted so fast he seemed to

have surprised himself. Lying on the

floor, naked and still in the same
position, he blinked. His confusion
didn’t last. He pushed to his feet swiftly,
already reaching for his clothes.

“Contribute my part?” he spat. “You

mean fuck a lot of women to get them
pregnant?” He let out an angry huff and
snapped the elastic waistband of his
shorts over his hips. “What do you
think?”

Faolan shifted to his human form too,

keeping an eye on Shayonn who paced
the room irritably. “Because you prefer
men?”

Shayonn spun around, lips curled in a

snarl. “Well, yes. Obviously.”

“Are you saying you never had sex

with a female?”

Shayonn’s gaze flicked across the

room before he answered. “No.”

“Oh. Not even a human one?”
“No,”

Shayonn

repeated

with

narrowed eyes. “Why is that so hard for
you to understand? You like men, too.”
His expression changed. “Ah, fuck,” he
groaned. “You wouldn’t understand.
You’re a bloody wolf. Your species is
all over the place. It doesn’t matter who
you prefer as you can fuck anyone you
want.”

“Not quite,” Faolan snarled and

clenched his fists, struggling not to shift
back and fight. Oh, how he hated to be
reminded of his poor pedigree. “I don’t
qualify for fatherhood so I’m banned
from mating with another wolf shifter.”

Shayonn raised his eyebrows. “I get

it. You’re not gay, are you? You fuck
guys because you’re not allowed around
the females.”

“Again, not quite. As a matter of fact,

I happen to be bisexual. I enjoy sex with
both men and women. I just don’t get to
make babies, but you do. It’s your duty
to keep your kind from extinction.”

Shayonn made a face. “For someone

who’s not part of our community you’re
well informed.” He let out a humourless
chuckle. “Know your enemy, right?”

“Your enemy? Is that what you think

we are? Your enemies?”

“Everyone who thinks I ought to do

something I don’t want to do is my
enemy.”

“Huh. Why is it all about what you

want? Why don’t you see that in the
larger scheme of things, you have a duty
to fulfil?”

A growl vibrated low in Shayonn’s

chest and Faolan was prepared to shift
in an instant, but Shayonn kept a grip on
himself. “A duty? This is my life and I
want to live it on my own terms, not as
some community’s whore!”

“Being allowed to pass on your genes

is a fucking honour!” Faolan snapped.
“It hardly makes you a whore!”

“Easy for you to say that,” Shayonn

retorted. “You don’t have to fuck
someone you’re not attracted to!”

“Arrogant bugger. Who do you think

you are? Your genetic heritage might

make you special, but there is only one
purpose a stubborn, selfish jerk like you
could ever serve.”

“Oh, and what would that be? Make

babies?”

“Exactly. Glad we agree on that.”
“We sure as hell don’t—” Shayonn

started but he broke off. His eyes
widened and what had been indignant
anger so far turned into fear. Faolan
could smell it, even in his human form,
and he realised that Shayonn had figured
him out even before he himself had made
the decision.

“You’re going to turn me in, aren’t

you?” Shayonn whispered, turning pale.
“You’re a hunter, right?”

Faolan took a breath. He let it out in a

sigh, then he smiled. “No. Well, I’m not
a hunter and I’m not going to turn you in.
I’m going to take you with me and bring
you in because incidentally, I’m a guard
of the colony. It's not my job to go after
the stray ones, but when I find one, I
have to bring him home.”

A shudder rocked Shayonn’s body.

For a moment Faolan thought he might
try to shift and fight, but it seemed that
Shayonn understood that resistance
wouldn’t help him.

“It’s not that bad,” Faolan soothed.

“You’re beautiful, even by wolf shifter
standards. I’m sure the women will like
you, adore you, even. They will
probably fight over you. If you behave
well you might be lucky and get to live

in a group.”

“Live in a group?” Shayonn repeated

tonelessly. “That's not gonna happen.
Not even if you could drag me back to
Atraya, which I doubt you can.”

Taking in the pale skin, wide eyes

and tense shoulders, Faolan felt a wave
of pity. Shayonn was indeed scared.
Nervous. His fear was a sharp tang in
his scent now, impossible not to notice
but Faolan ignored it. He’d get used to
it. They all did, even the most fiercely
independent ones. When they came to
realise how much pleasure their lives as
breeders

entailed,

they

became

astonishingly mellow and willing to
settle. Shayonn would be just the same.
He was young and untamed, had

probably never learned the rules of his
community, but once he had been taught,
he would fit in.

Faolan

noticed

the

flicker

Shayonn’s eyes a fragment of a second
before Shayonn started to shift. It wasn’t
much of a warning, but Faolan was
trained to react instantly. Before
Shayonn had completed the transitioning
process, Faolan had the shot ready and
applied. The big, proud white tiger sank
to the floor like a bag of potatoes.

Chapter 4

Shayonn woke from the chattering of

his own teeth. He was cold. And
strangely numb. He opened his eyes but
closed them quickly. It was bright
around him, and strong overhead lights
blinded him.

“He’s awake,” a voice announced.

Shayonn assumed that the man was
talking about him and tried to wriggle

away from the sound. But I don’t want
to be awake, he protested mutely. If I’m
awake I will have to face reality, and I
can’t do that.

“Awake and disoriented,” the man

said. “Doesn’t know what shape he’s
in.”

Cold fingers touched Shayonn’s

forehead and his wrist. They dug into the
soft inside of his arm, then lowered his
hand back onto a mattress. By now he
had figured out that he was lying on
some sort of bed. Naked, that was why
he was so cold. It didn’t take much to put
two and two together. He was being
examined. Assessed. He winced. His
head was sore and his throat felt like
he’d swallowed barbed wire, but he

forced his dried-out tongue around his
mouth anyway.

“What…” he croaked and broke off,

shocked at the sound of his own voice.

“Shh, don’t speak yet. You’re

dehydrated. Drink this.”

A straw was shoved into his mouth

and he sucked greedily. Warm, soothing
liquid poured over his tongue and down
his aching throat. He drank some more
before raising his hand to indicate that
he’d had enough. Except he couldn’t
raise his hand. Something strong and
unyielding held it down. A leather wrist
cuff, from the feel of it.

“Don’t fight it,” the man told him.

“You’ll only wear yourself out and we
don’t want that to happen, do we?”

Another voice joined in the man’s

cackling laughter. “Indeed, better save
your strength. You’re gonna need it soon
enough.”

Shayonn kept his eyes closed. He

would have loved to just fall asleep
again, but he couldn’t, no matter how
hard he tried. But he could feel that part
of his mind that allowed him to shift. He
tried to focus on it, to welcome it. He
would be stronger in his tiger shape, so
much stronger and—

“Don’t even think about it,” the

second man said. “You can’t shift right
now.”

Shayonn winced. He wanted to

simply ignore the words, but the wish to
know was stronger. “Why?”

“Meds. Keep you from shifting and

make you happy and mellow. Can’t risk
a pretty boy like you putting up a fight
and getting hurt. The ladies would be
mightily pissed off if their toy got
damaged.”

“You’re making a big mistake,”

Shayonn choked out.

“I don’t think so,” the first man

replied and both laughed. “You’re going
to make some lucky ladies very happy.”

“I’m not breeding material,” Shayonn

snapped. His head still pounded with a
dull ache and his vision, when he finally
forced his eyes open, was blurry.

A rough hand patted his thigh and he

tried to shrink away from it, but he
didn’t get far. His ankles were bound,

just like his wrists. Again, the man
chuckled.

“You’re not going anywhere, pretty.

Not until you’re summoned. Might as
well save yourself the trouble.”

There was a nasty tone in his voice

and his fingers dug into the soft flesh on
the inside of Shayonn’s thigh. Shayonn
bit back the pained yelp. He wasn’t
going to let the guy have the satisfaction
of witnessing his pain.

“Garrid,” a third and familiar voice

called out. It sent a shiver down
Shayonn’s spine. Faolan. His captor.
The traitor. He turned his head to see.

“No need to abuse him, okay?”

Faolan sounded angry and made a
meaningful pause before he added, “And

there’s no need to touch him either
unless it’s for medical reasons.”

“I wasn’t—”
“Just leave him alone, will you?”

Faolan snapped.

“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now go get him some food.

He’s bound to be hungry, and I don’t
want to starve him. He needs his
strength.”

The hesitation was minimal. “Yes,

sir.”

“And you can go with him,” Faolan

ordered, glaring at the second man, who
hurried to obey and followed Garrid out
of the room.

“What are you going to do to me?”

Shayonn asked as soon as the two men

had left. “Take me to the colony? I’m not
going to—”

“Shut up,” Faolan said. “No need to

worry, okay? You lucked out. You’re
too precious to be wasted in the colony.
You’re going straight to Queen Janiah’s
Court. Apparently she’s looking for a
new mate and you are perfect for her.”

A chill shook Shayonn’s body, and it

had nothing to do with the temperature in
the room. “The queen? You want to take
me to Queen Janiah’s Court?”

“Yes.”
Shayonn felt weak with apprehension.

Of all the places he’d been trying to
avoid, the queen’s court was the worst.
“You’re in contact with the court?
How?” he made himself ask.

Faolan tilted his head. “I’m not in

contact with the court, but it’s been all
over the news here. That’s how I know
that she’s looking for a mate rather
urgently. She requested that all young,
male white tiger shifters be brought to
her so she can take her pick.”

Shayonn winced. He suspected that

there was a different reason for the
queen’s wish to meet all the young men
of her species. “The queen is looking for
a mate? But she’s too old to have babies.
She hasn’t had one in years.”

Faolan shrugged. “Seems she changed

her mind.” He winked. “I bet it’s a
political decision. She only has one son,
hasn’t she? Another male offspring
would be good for her, especially if it’s

a white one.”

Shayonn shook his head in despair.

“This is insane. You’re making a big
mistake, Faolan. Please don’t do it.
Don’t take me there.”

“Sorry, Shayonn,” Faolan replied

and, judging by the sad expression in his
eyes, he was indeed sorry. “It’s the
queen’s order. I couldn’t let you go even
if I wanted to.”

“But I can’t do this,” Shayonn said.

“Please, Faolan. You don’t understand.
The queen’s request, there’s more to it
than what you think, and… You know
I’m gay. I can’t be with a woman, I—”

“Sorry, Shayonn.” Frowning, Faolan

bit his lip. “I know it’s not what you
want. But that’s life. We don’t always

get what we want. We all have our place
in the world, our reason to exist. And we
have duties to fulfil. It’s my duty to obey
the queen’s orders, and it’s your duty to
make lots of pretty babies. Your species
needs you, Shayonn.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Shayonn

snarled.

“I can’t father the queen’s

babies, and I won’t—”

“I won’t have this discussion

anymore,” Faolan said coldly. “Keep
your mouth shut or I will make you.”

“What?”
“You heard. Not a single word from

you unless you need the toilet, or I’m
going to gag you. Is that clear?”

“You’re making a huge mistake,”

Shayonn repeated, shaking with rage. No

one had ever spoken to him like that
before. “I’m not who you think—”

“I mean it,” Faolan said in a low

growl. “One more word and it’s going to
be the last until the queen has your gag
removed.”

Shayonn had had enough. “You

fucking stupid idiot!” he yelled as blind
rage took over. “You can’t take me—”

Faolan was fast. Unfairly so. A rough,

thick piece of leather was shoved into
Shayonn’s mouth. He tried to fight it off,
but all he could do was shake his head
and Faolan easily overpowered him.
The ends of the gag were tied behind
Shayonn’s head, and Faolan leaned back
to examine his work.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “But we

don’t have time for discussion. The guys
are going to prepare you and tonight you
will meet the queen.”

Shayonn closed his eyes. He needed

to stop this. He wanted to explain, but
there was nothing he could do now.
Nothing except to concentrate on the
silence around him. Faolan had left him
alone. Just as well.

* * * *

Faolan observed the preparation

ritual. He didn’t trust Garrid. Just like
Faolan, the man was a wolf shifter who
had found a place in the tiger community
but the man had a violent streak in him
that made him unsafe around other

people at the best of times. A beautiful,
defenceless creature like Shayonn could
well bring out his sadistic side. Faolan
knew that he ought to have been the one
to prepare Shayonn. He had caught him,
he was delivering him, so getting him
ready too would have only been logical.

What

wasn’t

logical

was

the

reluctance he felt at taking Shayonn to
meet his fate. He’d been so sure that he
was doing the right thing, but Shayonn’s
begging and sad reassurance that he
didn’t want to mate with the females
kept gnawing at his conscience. He
didn’t know what it was like not to feel
attracted to a lover. Being bisexual, he
appreciated the hard muscles and
general roughness of a male body as

much as the silky skin and inviting
curves of a woman. What was it like to
face the most intimate of all moments
with a person one didn’t desire? Faolan
couldn’t answer that question but the
thoughts kept spinning inside his mind as
he continued to watch.

Shayonn’s flawless body was being

washed and prepared. He didn’t enjoy it,
that was obvious. Faolan didn’t enjoy it
either. Observing Garrid handle Shayonn
like a piece of meat irritated him more
than he had expected. Shayonn just let it
happen. Not that he had much choice
anyway, but he endured the cleaning and
shaving process with closed eyes and an
expression as if he were somewhere far,
far away.

“Think the queen’s gonna like him?”

Garrid enquired eventually. Shayonn
squirmed.

Faolan pressed his fingernails into the

palms of his hands to keep himself from
shouting in frustration. “It’s hard to say,”
he answered. “He’s beautiful and he’s
young. A lot younger than the queen, but
it’s what she asked for.”

“Yeah, who would’ve thought the

tiger queen’s a cougar?” Garrid laughed
but quickly sobered up at the glare
Faolan sent his way.

“Shayonn

extraordinarily

handsome and healthy male, but I don’t
know about the others. There might be
one among them that she’s more attracted
to and if she’s looking for more than a

father for her baby, he doesn’t stand a
chance anyway unless he’s destined to
be her mate. And I don’t think I need to
tell you about the chances of that being
the case.”

Watching Garrid slide a wide,

studded leather collar around Shayonn’s
neck, Faolan was close to hoping that the
queen would indeed be more attracted to
someone else. The wrist cuffs were next.
Shayonn didn’t resist when Garrid
twisted his arms to his back and secured
them in place but the bulky muscles in
his shoulders stood out like steel cords.
His fists were clenched. His beautiful
face was set in stone, his jaws locked
and his sensual lips a thin line of hatred.

“Put this on him,” Faolan ordered

when Garrid was finished with his task
and pushed a bundle of clothes at his
helper. By now he downright hated
having to put Shayonn through all of this.

Garrid unfolded the pile with a grin.

It wasn’t a friendly grin, and he made no
effort to pretend it was. He wrapped
Shayonn in the thin fabric and decorated
him artfully, just the way he was
supposed to. But all the time an evil
smirk curled his lips.

“Let’s get him over to the palace.”

Faolan turned his back. He didn’t want
to watch Garrid march Shayonn along,
couldn’t bear to see this mask of mute
resignation and cold fury any longer.

The way to the queen’s court was a

short one but every step increased the

ache in Faolan’s chest. Heads turned and
whispers followed them as they walked
the streets. Of course they attracted
attention. Two men leading a third,
bound one, couldn’t go unnoticed. But
that wasn’t the only reason, and Faolan
knew it.

Shayonn was striking, even in his

human form, and with the orders to bring
every white tiger to the queen, it must
have been easy for most people to figure
out what he was.

Even the guards seemed to understand

at once. They grinned and barely waited
for Faolan to finish his short speech
before one of them signalled to follow
him and led them inside. Faolan marched
Shayonn into the palace with definite

unease. Maybe this would be over soon.
If she didn’t want Shayonn, then perhaps
he’d be free to go.

“Will the queen see him now?”

Faolan enquired of the guard.

“She will see him tonight. Along with

the others.”

“The others?”
“Yes. There are five more and they

will all be presented to her tonight. You
don’t expect Her Royal Highness to
come running just because you found a
potential male for her, do you?”

Faolan’s heart sank. “No, of course

not. I just thought… Well, I thought that
if she meets him and decides she doesn’t
want him, then I could, um, take him with
me and—”

“Take him with you?” The guard

chuckled. “Good man, you’re not going
to take him with you, no matter if the
queen wants him or not. If she doesn’t
want him, he’ll be examined and then
paired off with a group of females that
are most likely to be a genetic match
with him.”

Faolan winced. He’d known it all

along, hadn’t he? “A group? Won’t he be
allowed to try to find his mate first?”

“No. You know how it works, don’t

you?”

“Um, well, I just thought…”
The guard shook his head. “There are

lots of females that carry the white gene
in them. The males are the problem
because they hardly ever have it, but at

least the ones who do are easy to spot.
Because the chances of a couple
producing white offspring are minimal,
the males get to father as many babies as
possible. And the way he looks, I’m sure
he’ll make quite a few of them. As a
matter of fact, I believe that even if the
queen wants him for herself, she will
consider passing him on when she’s
done with him, simply because he’s too
good to waste. This one will be used for
breeding, one way or the other.”

Shayonn had listened without moving,

but at the guard’s last words, he
swallowed and shifted his weight. He
was still gagged, and that was probably
a good thing. The earlier resignation had
dropped off him and he seemed eager to

give the guard a piece of his mind.

“Oh. Okay,” Faolan said, ignoring the

furious glare Shayonn cast his way.
“Will it be possible for me to stay? Until
the queen has made her decision, I
mean.”

The guard shrugged. “I don’t think so.

But you can be present when she sees the
men. The mating process is a public
event.”

“Public?”
“Yes.”

Chapter 5

Faolan watched in awed silence. The

men, all six of them, were adorable.
They all had flawless bodies and there
was little left to hide their beauty. They
were aroused, sporting magnificent
erections that were barely concealed by
the tiniest of loincloths. Only two of
them were in ties and Faolan recognised
Shayonn at first sight. After taking a few

moments to compare him to his peers, he
decided that Shayonn was by far the
most handsome creature in the room.

Led by guards, the six men were lined

up next to each other, with a few yards
separating them. Of course, the queen
would want to be able to sniff them
individually. She needed their scent to
find her best possible mate, which was
also the reason the men had to be
sexually aroused. It made it easier for
her.

The

expectant

whispers

around

Faolan stopped and the crowd turned
their heads as one. The huge, carved,
wooden double doors at the end of the
large room were opened. The queen
entered.

Having never seen her in person,

Faolan was mesmerised by her beauty.
She was big for a female, even a white
tiger one, and her face and body were
symmetrical and in perfect shape. Her
thick, black-and-white fur was glossy
and gleamed in the light as she crossed
the room with slow, majestic grace. Her
paws made no sound on the plush
crimson carpet. She didn’t look around.
Her huge eyes were fixed on the men that
were presented to her, awaiting her
inspection and appraisal with heaving
chests and sweaty skin. Faolan could
relate to them. Shayonn had made being
potentially chosen as the queen’s mate
sound like an ordeal, but seeing her in
all her glory and watching the other five

men next to Shayonn, Faolan realised
that Shayonn was the only one who
thought so. Hell, he would have been
honoured to stand on that little stage
himself.

But he didn’t, and never would. He

was a plain, ordinary wolf and of poor
pedigree at that. He’d never be allowed
to have children of his own, even if he
were lucky enough to find his mate,
which was improbable because the
females of his species didn’t look twice
at the likes of him. No, watching the
white queen climb the stairs to the
platform where her future mate might be
waiting was as close as Faolan could
ever hope to get to a traditional shifter
mating ritual.

Astonished whispers started up

around him. Faolan craned his neck to
see better, just like the others in the vast
room. It seemed the queen had been fast
to make up her mind. Instead of looking
at each man in turn, she had made a
straight line to one of them and stopped
in front of him. Staring at Shayonn with
her big green eyes, she sat down. At an
impatient flick of her tail, two female
guards hurried to bring a velvet gown
and held it up for her. Screened from the
public, she shifted to human form and the
gown was fastened around her.

She was a beautiful woman. Tall and

slender and with exquisite, doll-like
features. Right now, those features were
twisted into an expression of irritation

as she took a step that brought her right
in front of Shayonn. He was taller than
her by at least three inches, but his height
was clearly irrelevant to her. Raising
her fine-boned, elegant hand, she
slapped him firmly across the cheek.

A thin smile played on Shayonn’s lips

as he straightened up and looked down
at her. “Hello, Mum.”

* * * *

“What does this mean, he is the

queen’s son?” Faolan enquired half an
hour later.

The man who sat across from him,

Bernard, shrugged. “The boy is Prince
Shayonn

Atraya,

our

Royal

Highness’s youngest child and her only
son.”

Faolan was dizzy with excitement as

he remembered that he had not only met
the prince but had in fact spent some
pleasurable minutes with him. “He’s
Prince Shayonn? But why? How is this
possible? I thought the prince was
abroad, studying.”

“Yes, I know. That’s what everybody

thought and what everybody was
supposed to believe. And indeed, he has
been abroad for several years. At a
university in England, to be precise. He
was about to graduate but then he ran
away. Escaped his guards and just
disappeared.”

“Why? Why would he do that?”

Bernard shrugged. He took a breath

and opened his mouth but was spared an
answer. The queen entered. She was on
her own and in human form.

“That would be all, Bernard,” she

said curtly, ignoring Faolan.

“Milady?”
“You heard. I wish to speak to this

man in private.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Bernard

was fast to retreat and he closed the
doors quietly.

They were alone. Faolan swallowed,

nervous. He didn’t know what to expect
or what to make of this situation.

The queen remained standing and

watched him for a while. “Where did
you find him?”

“We, uh, met quite by chance, Your

Majesty.”

“By chance, huh?” She continued to

regard him with those big green eyes of
hers as if trying to figure out who she
was dealing with. Faolan squirmed. Her
eyes were eerily like her son’s and he
tried not to think of them and the way
they had been scrunched up in pleasure
while he’d jerked them both to orgasm.
Or the accusing stares he’d received
from them afterwards when he had
forced the proud tiger to meet his fate.

“Yes,” Faolan replied, then, taking in

the queen’s raised eyebrows, he added,
“Milady. Yes, Milady.”

“And why did you bring him here?”
“Well, I’d heard about your order that

every young, male white tiger be brought
to the palace and when I realised what
he was, I obeyed your order.”

“I see.” Arms folded across her chest,

she stared at him. “But you didn’t know
who you were dealing with, did you?”

“You mean did I know he’s the

prince? No. No, I didn’t know that. All I
knew was that he was a white tiger. Is a
white tiger,” he corrected himself.

The queen tilted her head. “Yes

indeed. That’s what he is.” She sounded
pensive as she turned to look out of the
window.

“Your Majesty?” Faolan asked after a

long moment of silence.

She glanced at him with raised

eyebrows. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry, I… I don’t really know

what I’m supposed to say. I’m not used
to be with people like, uh, like you,”
Faolan explained.

“I know. It’s what Shayonn said.

You’re a wolf, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“So, you are not a member of our

community but you chose to respect my
orders anyway?”

Faolan lowered his head under her

inquisitive gaze. “Yes.”

“Why?”
“Well… He’s part of your species, so

your law is what applies to him. Not
mine, not the human race’s, not any other
kind’s.”

“Indeed. And the fact that there is a

reward on his head has nothing to do
with your willingness to abide our
law?”

Faolan frowned in honest surprise.

“There’s a reward? I didn’t know that.”

Her unsettling green stare rested on

him for several long heart beats, then she
said, “Yes. There is a reward. And you
shall have it, if you want. But truth be
told, I’d rather offer you something else
for your services.”

“What would that be?”
“A job.”

* * * *

Shayonn stared down the wolf shifter.

He was furious and unforgiving and it

seemed his gaze transmitted his feelings
well.

Faolan lowered his head and Shayonn

assumed that, had he been in animal
shape, he would have tucked his tail
between his legs. Of course he would
have, he couldn’t help it. Dangerous
though the wolf in him was, he had an
instinctive understanding of who the
stronger creature in this room was, and it
wasn’t him.

“Get the fuck out of my room!” When

he was this angry, even Shayonn’s
human voice sounded like a growl. Deep
and threatening, it reverberated in his
chest.

Faolan winced but took a breath and

squared his shoulders. So the wolf was

up for a little flexing of muscles, it
seemed. Well, he must have known his
job wouldn’t be an easy one.

“I’m afraid that’s not an option and I

believe you know that.” Faolan’s voice
was surprisingly firm and emotionless.
“Your mother has employed me as your
personal assistant and bodyguard, so—”

“Bodyguard?”

Shayonn

snarled.

“Watchdog, you mean.” He observed as
Faolan’s lip curled into a snarl and
allowed himself a smug grin. “Tell me,
did you have to roll over and let her
scratch your belly, too?”

“No, she only had to tell me that I’d

get to teach her spoilt brat of a son some
manners and I was all up for the job.”

“Oh, spoilt brat, is it? You have no

fucking idea who I am, so get your hairy
arse out of here before I tell my mother
that you had your hand on my dick.”

Shayonn’s

surprise,

Faolan

twitched his shoulders. “Tell her that if
you like but she already knows.”

“What? How?”
“I told her.”
Shayonn was flabbergasted. “Why?”

The question came out as a feeble
squeak and he hated it, so he tried to
make up for it by scowling even more
fiercely.

Faolan didn’t seem too impressed. “I

told her so there would be nothing you
could use against me,” he explained in a
bored tone. “Just so we’re clear,
whatever happened between us doesn’t

matter. This job is a great opportunity
for me but that’s all it is—a job. Don’t
fool yourself thinking you’d get slack
just because I let you spill your spunk on
me. It’s not gonna happen. In fact your
mother and I agreed that it’s time you be
kept on a very short leash.”

Shayonn’s head pounded and he was

dizzy with rage. “You arrogant son of a
bitch!” he growled but again, Faolan just
shrugged off the comment. “Even if I
cared about my mother, which I don’t,
this wouldn’t be an insult because you
see, technically she is a bitch. Now go
get changed, your mother wants to see
you for dinner.”

Every fibre, every cell of Shayonn’s

being vibrated with indignity. None of

his previous guards had dared speak to
him like that. They had all respected him
for his status. Even Tjiann, his long-time
guard who hadn’t been able to resist his
attraction to Shayonn in the end and had
become his first lover, had always been
aware of his position as a minion.
Shayonn was mad with rage, and yet, the
wolf’s tough determination fascinated
him. Lowering his head, he turned away
and went to get changed for the first
formal dinner with his mother in four
years.

Chapter 6

During the weeks that followed,

Shayonn tried to keep his distance from
Faolan as much as he could but since it
was Faolan’s job to keep an eye on him,
he was never far away. He had become
an almost constant presence, a persistent
irritation but also a never ending
temptation. Shayonn was no longer
allowed to leave the grounds the palace

was built on. The beautiful gardens with
their brightly coloured flower beds, lush
green bushes and sweet scents had
become his prison. He’d succeeded in
escaping once, and now his mother made
sure he didn’t get another chance. Still, it
was nice to be outside and move and the
sound of the waves crashing on the rock
a few hundred feet below them turned
the exercise into an unexpected journey
back into his childhood, when he’d been
a scrawny cub roaming the bushes and
his mother’s beloved rose garden.

Shayonn let out a heartfelt groan as he

walked past a patch of particularly
thick-growing shrubs. He longed for a
partner. Ever since those quick, exciting
moments he’d shared with Faolan in the

hotel room almost two months ago, it
had just been him and his hand, but
Shayonn wanted more. He was only
twenty-one, and at his prime sexually. It
was even worse in his tiger shape. His
instincts and hormones seemed to run
havoc and left him in a state of constant
semi-arousal, so he rarely trailed the
grounds in animal form although he had
spent too long with his human body and
longed to feel his other self.

The tiger in him felt Faolan’s

presence before his weak human senses
could see or even smell him. “What do
you want?” he grumbled. “I’m not acting
against orders, so you can bloody well
leave me alone.”

“No need to get bitchy,” Faolan

replied levelly as he emerged from
behind a large rhododendron and fell
into step with Shayonn. “I just thought
you might appreciate a chat.”

Shayonn stared at his guard. His

initial anger at the betrayal had
developed into a strange combination of
resignation and fondness. Faolan did his
job well, there was no denying that, and
Shayonn was beginning to grow tired of
trying to pick fights he never won, so he
had decided to accept his fate for now.
Although, his lack of defiance was
probably mostly due to the fact that he
had a bigger worry on his mind.

Shayonn hadn’t treated his bodyguard

to more than a casual glance in the
weeks that had passed, but now that he

saw him, walking in the bright sunlight
amidst a fireworks of multi-coloured
flowers, his simmering arousal became
more substantial. The sight made him
prickle. Faolan was a handsome man
with movements that revealed his
strength and endurance. He wouldn’t
have trouble going all night, Shayonn
observed idly.

“Probably not,”

Faolan agreed,

correctly reading Shayonn’s thoughts as
he did so often. He sounded amused.
“But it depends on who I’m with. I need
a partner who can keep up and those are
rare to find. Not many humans are ready
for what I have to offer.”

“I wouldn’t have thought so,”

Shayonn grumbled but his grumpiness

was just a mask for his burning desire.
Two months, and he hadn’t been touched
by another being, human or shifter.

“What’s wrong?” Faolan asked.
“Nothing.”
“You sure seem grouchy for nothing.”
“Well, nothing I have any desire to

talk about with you of all people,”
Shayonn snapped.

Faolan shrugged. “Fine. Suit yourself.

I just thought you might want to talk. I
didn’t realise there were so many people
around you who are willing to listen to
your complaints.”

Turning his head to glare at Faolan,

Shayonn tripped on a root but he
covered up his stumble and walked on,
shoulder by shoulder with the big wolf

shifter. He’d promised himself not to
show any signs of weakness, but that
comment stung and of course, Faolan
was right. There was no one Shayonn
could talk to about the weight that
crunched his heart. He didn’t have
friends, had never really had any. He’d
been surrounded by servants for most of
his life. His half-sisters had left a long
time ago to lead their quiet, peaceful
lives as mothers of half a dozen yellow
cubs and his own mother… Well, she
defended her position vehemently.

“I can’t do it!” he blurted out. “I can’t

help it. I’m just not attracted to women.”

Faolan didn’t seem surprised by the

topic. His response was prompt. “Aren’t
you? Not even a little bit?”

“Nn-nn.”
“Not even in shifted form?”
Shayonn cast a sideways glance at his

companion and shook his head. “Oh, I
don’t know. I’ve never tried. Why, what
difference does it make?”

“Ah, Shayonn.” Faolan chuckled.

“You haven’t spent much time in shifted
form, have you? Your body is different,
have you never noticed that?”

“Well, I seem to be a lot furrier,

that’s for sure,” Shayonn grumbled.

“Yes. And you act on instincts rather

than common sense.”

“So?”
“So, your body is programmed to

reproduce. It’s as simple as that. We all
are different when we’re in shifted form.

Our primal instincts take over and we do
things we might not do when in human
shape.”

“Huh. Right. Like what?”
“Run around without clothes.”
Shayonn

couldn’t

suppress

his

chuckle and ended up making a strange
snorting sound.

“Okay, okay,” Faolan soothed. “Eat

raw meat. Take a pee in public.
Whatever. The fact is, you’re different
when shifted. So why not give it a try?
See how you like being around a female
when you’re in tiger shape. You might
be surprised.”

“Is that how it works for you?”
“What?”
“Mating. Sex.”

Faolan pursed his lips. “Well, not

really. I enjoy sex in either shape.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Shayonn

sighed. “You said you weren’t really
into men. You said you fucked men only
because you weren’t allowed around the
females.”

“You said that, actually,” Faolan

replied. “I happen to be attracted to men
and women alike. It’s right that I’m not
allowed to reproduce with females of
my own kind, but there is no law against
me fucking human women or the females
of any other species.”

Shayonn tilted his head. “I see. And

you’re making use of that, right?”

“Sure.” Faolan sounded amused.
“Good for you. Is it different when

you’re in shifted form?”

Faolan watched him for a moment.

“It’s fluffier when we’re shifted but I
like it either way. As a wolf it’s more…
Unrestrained, I think you could say, but
as a human you have hands. Big
advantage.”

Shayonn was astounded. Faolan

grinned at him. He flashed his teeth in
return but he wasn’t convinced. “So
you’re saying that if I’m in tiger form I
might actually enjoy it?”

“Yes.” Faolan stopped. “What is it?”
Shayonn sighed. He had to get it out

or it would just eat him up. “My mother
will make me attend a mating ceremony
next week.”

“I know. So?”

Shayonn stopped dead. “So? Are you

kidding me?”

“Well, it makes sense.”
“It makes sense,” Shayonn repeated

with an angry snort. “I should have
known you were on her side!”

Faolan shrugged. “I’m not on

anyone’s side but I know about the
problems your species have, so yes, it
makes

sense. The main point about

mating for you is to be able to make lots
of healthy and preferably white babies.
The biggest problem for you is to find
the girl you can have those white babies
with.”

“The biggest problem for me is that

I’ll have to fuck her to make those
babies!” Shayonn snarled. “And I don’t

think I’m interested in that.”

Head tilted to the side, Faolan

watched him with an expression of
patience in his warm brown eyes.
“Look, Shayonn. It’s not that big an issue
as you make it seem so don’t stir up a
storm in a water cup. Fucking her is the
obvious way but you can always talk to
her and tell her how you feel about
women. She’s your mate. She shares
your interest and she will have a special
connection with you. See if you can find
a way with that. Try it in tiger shape.
And if you really don’t want to do it,
well, then there are other ways.”

Shayonn

flinched.

“What

other

ways?”

Faolan smirked. “Well, quite simple.

All she needs to get pregnant is your
spunk. No one says you have to be the
one who puts it into her. If you really
don’t want to do it then well, I suggest
you have a wank and give her what you
come up with.”

“Eouw!” Shayonn made a face. “Are

you serious?”

Faolan shrugged. “It’s an option. It’s

not ideal, and I don’t think your chosen
one would be too pleased, but it would
allow you to do what is required of you
without sexual intimacy involved.”

“Hmm. Well, it’s a thought,” Shayonn

admitted. “But you’re right. First I have
to find my mate.”

“Shayonn?” Faolan asked into the

pensive silence that followed.

“Yes?”
“Are you still mad at me? For

bringing you back here?”

Shayonn considered the question for a

moment, then he shook his head. “Not
really. I was mad, but I never stood a
chance to get away from all of this. I
don’t even know why I bothered to run
away in the first place. It was only a
matter of time until my mother would
come up with a plan to get me back. I
should’ve known that.”

“Okay. So you forgive me?”
Shayonn smiled. “Yes.”
Faolan seemed honestly relieved.

“Good. Thank you. Oh, one more thing.”

“Yeah?”
“Your mother told me you chased

away your personal servants again.
Why?”

The

direct

question

surprised

Shayonn, but he covered it with an
irritated snicker. “You mean the ones
who were ordered to help me with my
bath? Of course I chased them away. My
dear mother seized the chance to send
potential partners my way again.”

Faolan

frowned.

“Potential

partners?”

“Yes. In case you didn’t notice, those

servants were all young and beautiful,
and all female. Not one of them had any
idea how to even address me correctly.”

“I’m sure that’s not quite true,”

Faolan replied.

Shayonn narrowed his eyes. “Are you

saying I lie?”

“No, I just think you’re more

interested in them than you’re letting
on.”

Shayonn froze. “How dare you say

that after everything I just told you?”

“Oh, come on, Shayonn.” Faolan

sighed. “It’s a nice story. But I found
some magazines last time I checked your
room. You’re not as exclusively gay as
you pretend to be, are you?”

Shayonn stared at him, chewing his

lip as he mulled over the best possible
answer. Faolan was right. If truth be
told, he wasn’t as immune to their
creamy skin and luscious curves as he
claimed he was. “I’ve never been
serious with a woman,” he said

reluctantly.

Faolan nodded, slowly and as if to

himself. “Well, perhaps not, but I bet
you’ve spent more than one night jerking
off over a magazine that featured naked
girls instead of the ones filled with guys
you leave lying around everywhere.
What’s the point of those, anyway? Are
you just trying to annoy your mother?”

Shayonn

groaned.

“You

don’t

understand. It’s not as simple as you
think it is.”

“Then why don’t you tell me? Come

on, get it out.”

Shayonn heaved a sigh and pushed

back his too long fringe. “You see, I
appreciate female beauty and…they
smell nice and have such gorgeous, soft

bodies, but giving in to that means giving
up my freedom. If I allow myself to be
with a woman, I’ll lose the last chance I
have to…” He bit his lip. “Leading my
mother to believe that I’m gay is the only
way I have to keep her from making me
find my mate.”

Faolan frowned. “What’s so bad

about finding your mate? It’s the best
thing that can possibly happen to a
shifter.”

Shayonn shook his head impatiently.

“If I have a mate, the future queen of
Atraya, I will have to become king and
I’m not ready for that, Faolan. I’m only
twenty-one. There is more I want to do
with my life than sit through meetings
and talk about my country’s economy or

ways to increase the growth rate of our
population. There are so many things I
haven’t done yet, so many places I still
want to see. I don’t want to get tied
down just yet. And…those babies. I’m
not ready for babies.”

“I know.” For the first time, Faolan

looked at him with sympathy. “That’s the
real reason you ran away, isn’t it? It’s a
lot of responsibility for someone so
young. I understand that. But it’s your
duty. You were born into this position,
and you have to take the bad parts with
the good parts. You grew up in a
beautiful home, with dozens of servants
just waiting to fulfil your every wish.
Maybe it’s time for you to pay some of
that back.”

Shayonn rubbed his forehead. He felt

tired all of a sudden. Tired and
emotionally exhausted, but most of all he
longed for affection, now more than
ever. What he’d assumed to be merely
pent-up sexual tension turned out to be a
craving for something deeper.

He took a step toward Faolan and

lowered his head as he stopped in front
of him. “Can you…” He couldn’t make
himself say it, so he just looked up and
hoped that his eyes would transmit the
message.

Faolan

understood

his

wordless plea. He reached out and
folded his bulky arms around Shayonn,
pulling him into a tight bear hug.
Shayonn hesitated briefly, then let his
head sink on Faolan’s massive shoulder.

It felt so good to simply be held like

this. He couldn’t remember the last time
someone had just embraced him. His
mother had never been one for cuddles
and the few sex partners he’d had in uni
hadn’t been around to stay after the quick
stolen

moments

each

other’s

bedrooms or outside. The hold of
Faolan’s arms tightened and Shayonn
was reminded of the other man’s
immense, feral strength. His earlier
arousal returned, going from the barely
noticeable buzz in the pit of his stomach
to a burning need in his groin within
seconds.

His cock filled and it was all

Shayonn could do to not just start
humping Faolan’s thigh. A gasp slipped

from his lips and he rearranged his
position, bringing his lips to Faolan’s
neck and the bare patch of skin. He
kissed it, licked it with the tip of his
tongue, savouring the flavours he
remembered so well. Faolan responded
with a low growl and a tilt of his hips
that brought the hard ridge of his own
erection in line with Shayonn’s.

Breaking the tight embrace, Shayonn

leaned back a bit so he could undo the
buttons on Faolan’s shirt. Faolan
chuckled. “Easy, kid. We’re outside,
remember?”

“Yes,” Shayonn panted, impatiently

tugging at the reluctant buttons. “But this
corner can’t be seen from the palace and
no one ever comes here, apart from the

gardener. He was here only yesterday,
so we’re safe.”

“What about your mother?”
“What about her?”
“I don’t think she’d be too pleased if I

fucked her son in her own back yard.”

Shayonn snorted. “With everything

that you know about my mother, do you
honestly think she’d give a toss? She’s
going to marry me off as soon as she can
with the sole aim for me to have
children.” He shot Faolan a wink.
“Besides, what makes you think you get
to fuck her son in her back yard?”

Faolan seemed indecisive for a

moment longer, then he smiled and
reached for Shayonn’s shirt. “Indeed, I
don’t think she’d care. And as to that

other question of yours… I think you’re
dying for me to slam my dick into your
sweet little hole and that’s exactly what
I’m going to do.” He plucked at the first
button, then, when it didn’t give, he
simply grabbed the shirt and ripped it
open, sending buttons flying everywhere.
In a motion that was too fast for Shayonn
to follow, he had pulled the garment
over Shayonn’s shoulders and put a knot
in it, securing it in a way that left
Shayonn effectively tied up.

“What…” Shayonn started but Faolan

silenced him with a quick, scorching
kiss.

“You’re a spoiled brat, Prince

Shayonn,”

whispered

against

Shayonn’s mouth. “You’re young, selfish

and irresponsible. You use people and
manipulate them for your own purposes.
You deserve a good spanking for all
your lies and schemes, and that is
exactly what I’m going to give you—
before I fuck you so hard you won’t
remember your own name. I’ve been
waiting for this since the first time I met
you.”

Shayonn hadn’t put up the least

resistance during Faolan’s short speech.
It seemed his brain had lost all ability to
control his tongue. Rage and indignity
had flared up in him, but those feelings
were easily overpowered by arousal.
Shayonn’s cock was hard enough to drill
a hole into the ground and aching with
the need to be touched. Tilting his hips,

Shayonn tried to rub himself on Faolan’s
leg, but Faolan escaped him. “Nn-nn,”
he scolded softly. “None of that, I’m
afraid. If you want to come, you’ll have
to earn it.”

Faolan met Shayonn’s mouth and the

slick tip of his tongue darted out, slipped
between Shayonn’s lips and parted them.
Shayonn moaned as their tongues
collided, touched and caressed, tentative
at first then in an increasingly passionate
dance of lust. Pleasure sparked in his
loins and he moaned helplessly.

Faolan’s hands were on his hips now,

holding Shayonn in place as he pressed
their groins together. They were both
hard and their cocks rubbed against one
another, grinding and stroking. Faolan

felt so good against him. His strong,
solid-muscled body was different to any
partner Shayonn had ever been with and
the way he took control and showed
Shayonn exactly how he wanted him
made Shayonn’s head spin with desire.
He thrust against Faolan’s compact
strength, suckled and licked his tongue
as they kissed until he thought he could
come from nothing more than this but
Faolan surprised him by slowing down
and leaning back. He undid Shayonn’s
fly, pushed down his trousers and
slapped his thigh to make him step out of
them, then quickly took off his own
clothes.

Faolan’s cock was magnificent. More

than average in length and width, it stood

straight and proud. Shayonn licked his
lips. He longed to taste Faolan, to lap up
the small bead of clear liquid that
glistened on the head of this handsome
erection and it seemed Faolan could
read his thoughts. He chuckled.

“Wanna suck my dick?”
“Yes.” Shayonn’s answer was a mix

of a purr and a growl. He was so horny
for this man, so full of need. Faolan
placed a big hand on Shayonn’s head
and pushed him down, right onto his
huge erection. Shayonn opened his mouth
willingly. The fat head slid over his lips
and tongue, pushed against the roof of
his mouth and hit the back of his throat.
Shayonn nearly choked but Faolan’s
hand remained locked around his head,

holding him in place as Faolan began to
thrust into his mouth.

Shayonn fought his gag reflex. Fuck,

he’d given head before and some of the
guys had been big, but Faolan beat them
all. He struggled to adapt to the intrusion
and match the rhythm of Faolan’s in and
out strokes. The man moved slowly,
long, deep thrusts that had Shayonn
alternately whimper for more or hum in
alert when the massive cock blocked his
airway.

Faolan didn’t give him space to

move. Fingers twisted in Shayonn’s hair,
he held his head in place and did as he
pleased. Shayonn loved every bit of it.
He’d given over power and it was
exciting. Far better than what he’d done

with the boys his age. They had never
been this dominant with him. Quite the
opposite, most of them had known who
he was and been so eager to please
they’d ended up motionless lumps
instead of curious explorers. Not Faolan.
He fucked Shayonn’s mouth for several
long minutes, then pulled back, still
holding Shayonn by his hair.

“That was nice. Now be a good

puppy. Turn over and show me your
arse. You’ll get your treat when I’m
done with you.”

Despite a sense of impropriety,

Shayonn did as he was told. He pushed
to his feet and turned his back to Faolan.
The fierce tiger in him shouted his
protest at this surrender without a

struggle, but Shayonn was intrigued.
This wasn’t the kind of behaviour he
was used to from his servants, but
Faolan’s dominance made it so easy to
hand over control. Shayonn jumped
when Faolan’s hand landed on his back,
following the curves of his shoulders
and then down his spine to his waist.
“Go to that tree over there,” Faolan
ordered in a tight voice and Shayonn
hurried to obey. Faolan was right behind
him. He’d picked up his shirt and
wrapped it around the trunk, then used
the sleeves to tie Shayonn to the massive
tree.

“What—Ouch!” A firm smack to his

left arse cheek had startled Shayonn.
He’d yelled more in surprise than in

pain, although the slap had been hard
enough to leave his skin tingling.

“Shut up or I’ll gag you,” Faolan

snapped. “And I mean it. Keep your eyes
ahead.”

Shayonn was light-headed with lust.

He never would have expected it, but he
loved the way Faolan ordered him
around. Faolan’s strong fingers were on
his hips now, following the lines of his
bones to the front. Shayonn shivered. It
wasn’t exactly cold, but the light breeze
from the sea that caressed his bare arse
made him aware of just how exposed he
was. He must have been insane to let
himself be tied to a tree, about to be
spanked and fucked. And yet, the notion
was so very alluring. He spread his legs

a little, part invitation, part anticipation.
It had been a while since anyone had had
him that way and he was more than just a
little nervous.

Faolan’s breath caressed his neck and

he froze. “Begging for it, are you?”
Faolan growled next to Shayonn’s ear.
“Can’t wait for me to claim you now,
can you, little slut?”

Pleasure zinged through Shayonn’s

groin. He let his head sink forward and
rested it on the tree trunk in front of him,
grateful for the support.

The first blow connected and

Shayonn yelped. “Fuck, that hurt!” he
protested and tried to look around, but
Faolan was faster. “Eyes ahead!” he
reminded sternly and supported his

words with another slap to Shayonn’s
bare buttock.

Shayonn stared at the tree. The next

hit was another hard one, but on the
other cheek and Faolan followed it up
with several lighter strokes. They didn’t
hurt like the first ones had, but Shayonn
could feel his skin heat up until his arse
seemed to be on fire. It was a strange
pleasure-pain and he bit his lip,
determined to remain silent.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Faolan

enquired in a soft tone. “Imagine what it
will feel like when I fuck you. Just a
little longer now. I want to make sure
you’re right where I want you and for
that, I’ll have to increase the stimulation
a bit.”

Shayonn heard the metallic sound of

his belt buckle a fraction of a second
before the leather bit into his skin in a
long lick across both buttocks. He
screamed.

“Mmm, nice,” Faolan purred and ran

his hand over the stinging stripe he’d just
created. “Think I can make another just
like it?” The belt came down a second
time and Shayonn pulled at his restraints.
This hurt a lot more than he’d expected
and it was about all he was willing to
take. Just as he debated whether or not to
tell Faolan to stop, Faolan surprised him
by hugging him from behind. The
unexpected gentleness of the motion
confused Shayonn.

“Shh, we’re almost there,” Faolan

whispered. “Trust me, Shayonn. One, or
maybe two more. It will hurt so good.”

Shayonn

was

undecided.

The

spanking had felt good in a peculiar
way, as did the intense burn on his arse,
but he wasn’t sure if he could take more
of the sharp pain that came with the belt.

“Trust me,” Faolan repeated and

Shayonn gave a nod. He was a little
worried now. His skin was over-
sensitised already and he knew the next
blow would hurt, but Faolan didn’t hit
him again. Instead, he ran his hands over
Shayonn’s buttocks again and again,
resting his palms on the warmed flesh
until Shayonn thought he’d combust from
the heat.

Faolan didn’t warn him. He moved so

fast, Shayonn didn’t realise he’d picked
up the belt again until the by now
familiar sharp pain licked over him
again. He yelled and bucked but couldn’t
escape the next lash. It broke something
inside him, a barrier he hadn’t even
realised had been there, and heat seeped
through every fibre of his being. Faolan
was behind him again, pressing his big,
strong hands to Shayonn’s stinging arse.
He hadn’t promised too much. It did
hurt, but it felt good and Shayonn pushed
back, welcoming the warmth of the touch
that increased the burn.

“Want me to fuck you now?” Faolan

asked.

“Yes, oh fuck, yes please,” Shayonn

stammered and spread his legs as far as

the pair of jeans around his ankles
would let him.

“Okay. You’ll only get spit, so better

relax those muscles,” Faolan warned
then his fingers were between Shayonn’s
abused arse cheeks, seeking out that
little spot. Shayonn groaned as Faolan
brushed a fingertip across his hole. It
had been so long, and was bound to be
uncomfortable, but all those sensations
overwhelmed him. Amidst all this fire
there was something different, a blunt
pressure that grew sharper, then eased
off. Faolan was inside him, moving his
finger and exploring the first few inches
of the narrow channel. Shayonn grunted
as much too soon, a second finger was
shoved into him and Faolan began to

open him up. The intrusion stung and all
the time, Faolan kept stroking and
kneading Shayonn’s buttocks with his
free hand.

Faolan removed his fingers. “Now

don’t clench up,” he warned. Shayonn
heard him spit into his palm, then
already the head of Faolan’s dick was
pushing at his hole. He tried not to think
about the impressive size of Faolan’s
cock but he was close to howling when
it breached him and sank into his body.
His nerve endings seemed to explode
one by one, reporting impossible
sensations form the inside and the
outside of Shayonn’s arse. His skin was
on fire where Faolan’s groin touched
him on the outside while inside, the burn

was brighter, sharper where he was
stretched and filled so completely. He
yelled when Faolan went for the first
long, deep stroke.

“Like it?” Faolan murmured.
“Fuck, yes,” Shayonn groaned and

widened his stance. He felt about to just
combust with need and emotional
overload but Faolan didn’t give him time
to think. He set a fast-paced rhythm,
seemingly intend on fucking Shayonn’s
reluctant muscles into submission.

Once again Shayonn was grateful for

the tree in front of him. He clung on to it,
trying to steady himself against the storm
Faolan created in and around him.
Shayonn groaned, his own voice nearly
drowned out by Faolan’s harsh, ragged

breaths.

“Good boy,” Faolan panted in

between thrusts. “Come for me.”

Shayonn squirmed. “Like this?”
“Yes.

Just

this,”

Faolan

confirmed. “Can you?”

“Not sure I—oh!”
Strong fingers twisted in Shayonn’s

hair and his head was yanked back.
“Maybe you should try a bit harder,”
Faolan growled and bit the side of
Shayonn’s neck. He had lost his rhythm
and was slamming in with a rapid fire of
uncontrolled, almost brutal thrusts. In his
entire life, Shayonn had never felt as out
of control and yet as safe as he did then
and when Faolan went still behind him
in that unique way, he was ready. They

came nearly simultaneously. Faolan’s
cock pulsed inside him and blocked the
contractions of Shayonn’s inner muscles,
giving Shayonn a few more moments of
pleasurable fullness.

“Well, I’d say that was a nice ride,

huh?” Faolan chuckled behind him as he
pulled out. Shayonn winced. Now that
the fire of passion was gone, he realised
how sore he was. Sore and very, very
tired. His arse stung from the spanking,
his hole burned from the rough fuck and
his shoulders and arms throbbed from
being tied, and yet he felt better than he
had in months.

“Next time I’m going to fuck you

when you’re in tiger shape,” Faolan said
and undid the knots in their shirts.

“Next time?” Shayonn asked feebly.
“Yes. Or don’t you want me to fuck

you again?”

Freed from his ties at last, Shayonn

straightened up and rubbed his aching
wrists. Warm liquid dribbled down his
thigh.

“I… Yes. Yes, I do,” Shayonn

replied. Faolan’s spunk seeping out of
him was like a mark. It made him feel
strange, claimed somehow. “Faolan?”

“Yes?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“You’re a wolf shifter and… Well,

I’m aware that different species have
slightly different mating rituals and…
Uh…” He broke off and raked back his

hair in embarrassment.

Faolan stared back at him calmly.

“Are you asking if I’ve claimed you as
my mate?”

nervous

chuckle

escaped

Shayonn’s throat. “I guess I am.” He
couldn’t look into those unsettling eyes
any longer and dropped his gaze. Just
why couldn’t he fight Faolan? He was
the one supposed to lead, in every way.
He was much stronger physically in his
animal form, and in human shape, his
social rank put him way above Faolan.

Faolan sighed. Shifted his weight,

then sighed again. “Shayonn, look… I
couldn’t help it. I hadn’t realised it
worked this way. I wasn’t aware that…
You’re a different species, and you’re a

guy, there’s no biological reason why
you should be my mate, but…” He
swallowed and bit his lip. “You’re right.
You are my mate and I just claimed you.
You’re mine now, for as long as we both
live.”

Once again Shayonn was grateful for

the tree when his knees went weak and
he had to clasp at the rough trunk for
support. “But… How could you? You
know I have to… Fuck!” Shayonn
groaned. “My mother is going to kill
me.”

Faolan smirked. “No she’s not. She’ll

be shocked, yes, and then she will
understand that it’s the best that could’ve
happened to you. She wanted me as your
guard, to protect you, and as my mate,

it’s my top priority to keep you happy
and safe from harm.”

“I know, but… Sod it, you’re a wolf!

And a guy! And…and I just told you I’m
not ready for anything stable yet.”
Shayonn let out a heartfelt groan. “So
now I not only have to find the mother of
my babies and rule a fucking kingdom, I
also have a wolf at my hands. Great. So
not.”

“Oi, stop it!” Faolan snapped. “I’m

hardly a burden for you, little prince!
I’m well capable of taking care of
myself and probably better at looking
after you, too. Being my mate doesn’t
change what you have to do, but it has its
advantages if you want them.”

“Like what?”

Faolan lowered his head and took a

step closer. A soft smile played on his
lips. “I just told you—my priorities are
to keep you safe and…happy.”

His intonation on the last word made

Shayonn’s groin tingle. “You mean…?”

Faolan put his hands on Shayonn’s

hips, stroked up his sides and then
pulled him close for a kiss. “This,” he
jerked his head at the tree, “was hot but
it was just the beginning. I can fuck you
in ways that will blow your mind. You
might be a spoilt brat who’s destined to
be king and doesn’t want to be tied
down, but when I do the tying and spank
your arse the way you deserve it, it
rocks your boat like nothing else—and
don’t tell me that’s not true!”

Shayonn moaned. He couldn’t help it.

He was turned on again and yes, Faolan
was right. He nodded and lowered his
head. “Take me back inside,” he
whispered.

Faolan smiled. “I will. In a bit. And

only in your real shape.” He shifted,
transitioning smoothly from man to wolf
and Shayonn was stunned by the feral
beauty in front of him, but only for a
moment, then he, too, embraced his
animal self and became the tiger he was
inside.

Chapter 7

Another month later, Shayonn felt

good in his tiger skin. He had spent some
time with Faolan in shifted form, running
around and exploring the area along with
reacquainting himself with his own
body. It didn’t feel weird anymore. He’d
begun to appreciate the sheer power of
his enormous muscles. They no longer
felt like unnecessary bulk but had

become thick steel ropes that were his to
control. And his reactions had improved.

Together, he and Faolan had taken

long strolls in the vast palace gardens,
indulging their animal selves and running
side by side. Shayonn wasn’t much of a
runner. His body was built to wait and
pounce, but he’d be damned if he
admitted to that. Faolan on the other
hand seemed to have no problem at all to
run for hours, other perhaps than to
allow Shayonn to keep up with him.
They had also been hunting, chasing after
rabbits and small deer. Shayonn couldn’t
remember ever having been so excited
about something but what he was facing
now made his heart pound so hard he
thought it might just explode.

He entered the room. His paws made

no sound but a faint shuffle on the
ground, barely audible even to his own
ears, but the females instantly knew he
was there. They turned and stared at him.
He took his time.

There were at least ten of them. Ten

pairs of golden eyes that watched his
every move. He could tell they were
excited about his presence. Their smell
wafted to him, making him dizzy with its
heady flavours of arousal. And it turned
him on in a strange yet fascinating way.
This was new for him, something he had
yet to learn how to do with this amazing
strange body of his.

He approached them slowly. His

movement sent a ripple through the small

group.

They wanted him. Every single one of

them but there would be only one who
would have him. If his mate was even
among them. But what were the chances
for that, really? There was just one
female in the world who shared the gene
that made him special and he was the
only one who could single her out. And
if whatever strange quirk of nature
caused the match-ups had made a
mistake, his mate might not have been
born yet. Or she could be eighty years
old and senile. Wherever his mate was,
she hadn’t been in any of the groups of
females he had met so far. And from the
looks of the ten women in the room,
today would be no different.

* * * *

Tarina shivered in anticipation as she

watched the huge white male approach
her. He was glorious with his snow
white, glossy fur and the sheer size of
him intimidated and aroused her at the
same time. She’d never been one to
duck, and she’d had her share of
experience with men in human shape, but
this was different. She didn’t know what
it was like to be with a male in shifted
form and had often wondered if she’d
ever make the experience. Was the big
white male her mate? It was unlikely,
and yet she wondered what it would be
like to be taken by him. Would he take

her in this form or prefer their human
shapes? Was he a gentle lover or would
he just jump her and bite her neck for
something to hold on to as he thrust into
her? The thought made her legs weak.
He was so big, at least half a foot taller
than any of the brown males she’d seen
in the colony and she couldn’t help but
wonder if every part of him was so
generously sized.

She might not have known what it

was like to be with a man in shifted
form, but her body seemed to know
exactly what to do. Her inner muscles
twitched in anticipation and warmth
spread between her hind legs. The
gorgeous white came closer on his way
along the line of females. Her chances to

be chosen by him were poor. Like the
females, the white males were capable
of detecting the ideal mate for
themselves, the one among hundreds of
others that allowed them to produce the
much-needed offspring to save their rare
breed from extinction.

He passed the first two of the golden

tigresses, then stopped in front of the
third. He sniffed the air around her,
distrustful at first, then with obvious
interest. A low rumble started in his
chest as he walked a slow circle around
her. She barely turned her head but
watched him from the corners of her
eyes. When he had completed the circle,
he stopped in front of her. He sat on his
haunches and still the gaze of his striking

green eyes rested on her. The tigress
held her breath. She lowered her head,
offering him her submission but instead
of accepting and resting his chin on her
the way everyone in the room must have
been expecting him to do, he stood and
walked away. The tigress watched him
go with narrowed eyes and a curled lip.

He continued his way along the line

of females. Tarina’s heart sped up as he
approached her but the excitement lasted
for all of one second, then he was past
her.

It was almost a relief. What could she

have offered him anyway? She had never
been special in her entire life, just
another plain brown tigress and the
fourth of five daughters in a family full

of plain brown tigers. Her mother was
the special one, the rare white, but she
hadn’t passed on her gene to any of her
children and Tarina’s unruly spirit and
independence had often earned her her
parents’ scorn. Suddenly there was a
buzz of excitement around her and she
looked up. The tigresses who had been
perfectly quiet so far started to move,
which meant that the gorgeous white
must have found his mate. She didn’t turn
to see who the lucky one was, probably
the one he’d checked out so thoroughly
earlier.

Staring at the ground, she made to

leave until she felt someone blocking her
way. She stopped to let the other one
pass. It must have been one of the other

females, she thought, and since they
were all bound to be cranky with
disappointment, she knew it was better
to steer clear of her.

When the big bodied tiger in front of

her didn’t move, she finally raised her
gaze. And froze. It wasn’t one of the
other females. Before her stood the
glorious white, close enough to touch her
with his nose if she moved so much as
an inch forward.

She felt his breath on her face, the

slow exhalation of air as he held her
trapped in this fascinating green gaze of
his. It was as if he could look into her
soul and something deep inside her
answered. Something she hadn’t even
known existed.

She lowered her head, breaking eye

contact with him. She didn’t even have
to think about it. It was the right thing to
do.

He tilted forward a bit and she got a

first impression of the solid mass of him
as he rested his chin on top of her head.
Neither of them moved as they waited
for the others to leave the room although
Tarina’s thoughts were spinning.

When the other tigresses had left, two

servants approached them with big
robes. Prince Shayonn shifted instantly
and slipped into the garment that was
being held out to him. Tarina did the
same, enjoying the lush fabric that clung
to her much as her own fur had done just
seconds ago.

Prince Shayonn turned to her and

another shudder rocked her. Her legs
were about to turn to jelly. The prince
wasn’t only exquisite and impressive in
tiger shape. He was one of the tallest
men she’d ever met, and quite possibly
the most beautiful one, too. He could
have easily been threatening, but he
seemed to be just as nervous as she felt.
Toying with the buckle that secured his
robe at the front, he stared at the ground.
Then he heaved a deep sigh, squared his
shoulders and smiled at her. “Hello. I’m
Shayonn. Looks like you’re my mate.
Care to tell me your name?”

“My name is Tarina,” she said and

returned his smile. Damn, those lips. She
wanted to kiss them and invite him to

kiss her back, and not just on the mouth.
He was made for sinful activities, but
she was hesitant. She’d heard the
rumours. Apparently Prince Shayonn had
come a lot closer to one of his guards
than etiquette deemed necessary and
even tried to run away to escape the
mating ritual. Watching him closely, she
tried to figure him out. Yes, he was
nervous. He seemed to find it hard to
keep eye contact, and shifted his weight
frequently. Despite his size, he appeared
shy and didn’t follow her invitation to
flirt, so maybe the rumours were true.
Well, there were ways to spark a man’s
interest. She’d just have to find out
where his weakness lay.

“Tarina. Nice,” Shayonn said at last.

“Well, Tarina. Ready to meet the
queen?”

“Sure.” Tarina smiled at him again,

then she followed the tall man along the
red carpet to where the queen sat
waiting on her throne. She looked
around, trying to take everything in, and
yes, she was awed. Some of her self-
confidence left her in the face of the high
ceilings and magnificent murals. Few
people who weren’t members of the
royal family were allowed in the palace,
and she never would have expected to
be one of them.

The gentle brush of his fingers to her

arm made her turn her head.

“Everything all right?” he enquired in

a low whisper.

She nodded. “Yes. It’s just… All of

this is like a dream, you know. Surreal
and confusing, and I still can’t believe
that you have chosen me as your mate.

“Not chosen,” he said softly. His

gentle tone went straight to the pit of her
stomach where it caused a pleasant
tingle. “Recognised. I don’t understand it
either, but I just knew you were the one.
You smelled…familiar. That’s when I
realised you must be the right one.”

“That’s what finding your mate is

about, Shayonn,” a female voice fell in.
“You belong together. You were created
by nature to be one, but your souls and
bodies got separated. You are lucky to
have found each other again. Together
you will have beautiful children and

hopefully save our kind from extinction.”

Tarina stopped dead and stared at the

queen. She hadn’t even realised they had
come within hearing range. She glanced
at her mate. He didn’t meet her eyes and
she had her suspicions confirmed. Time
to start the games. “Children?”

“Yes, of course. That’s the main

purpose of the mating ritual. The
wedding ceremony will take place this
weekend. You can start trying after that.”

Shayonn squirmed and Tarina bit

back a smile. He was too cute. “Um… I
wasn’t planning on having children just
yet, Your Majesty.”

Prince Shayonn looked up. “Weren’t

you?”

“No. I have a job and—”

“Your job will be to look after your

babies, dear woman!” the queen chided.
“You won’t need to worry about your
career anymore.”

“But I don’t want to be a breeding

machine!” Tarina protested.

The queen flicked her hand in anger.

“Good grief, what is it with you young
ones? First Shayonn, now you, too.
Doesn’t anyone appreciate the potential
you have anymore? You can contribute
to keeping an entire species alive, don’t
you understand that?”

Tarina lifted her chin. “That may be

true, but I’m me. I’m not interested in our
species. I’m interested in leading my life
the way I want it.”

Perplexed silence followed her

statement, then the queen got up. She
stopped an inch or so in front of Tarina
and stared at her with narrowed eyes.
“Is that what you have to say in response
to the great honour of being the future
queen of Atraya?”

“I suppose so,” Tarina replied. “You

see, I was never raised to be a queen.
I’m just an ordinary girl. I was taught to
look after myself and earn my own
living.”

The queen rolled her eyes and huffed,

then she turned to her son. “Well, my
dear Shayonn,” she said. It seems you
got what you deserve. I wish you good
luck with this one and remember, I want
my first grandchild in a year’s time or I
am going to make you regret it.”

Shayonn

looked

flabbergasted.

“Mother!” he protested but she ignored
him and, brushing past Tarina, marched
off to her private chambers.

* * * *

Shayonn stared after his mother for a

long time. This wasn’t going as he had
been expecting it to go. So he’d finally
found his mate, but apparently the
woman was even more reluctant to have
children than he was. Admittedly, he’d
had months, years actually, to accept his
fate, but surely his country’s young
tigresses were brought up knowing about
the problems of the rare white mutation?
So why on earth was, of all the female

tigers that could have been his mate,
Tarina the one who possessed the right
genes but preferred her job over family?

“What now?” Tarina asked.
Shayonn sighed and glanced at her.

“Well, I guess I show you around and
we get someone to pick up your things.”

“Pick up my things? Why?”
“So you can make yourself at home.”
She laughed. “Sweetie, I’m not

moving in with you! If you want to give
me a tour of the palace that’s fine, but
I’m going home to sleep in my own
bed.”

Shayonn rolled his eyes. “This is

going to be very interesting,” he
muttered under his breath as he turned
around and led his new mate down the

long corridor to his own room.

Faolan caught up with them after

about half of the way. Since he was a
wolf and technically not a member of the
tiger shifter community, he hadn’t been
allowed to be present during the
meeting, no matter how fiercely Shayonn
had insisted to keep his lover with him
for support.

“Shayonn?”
Shayonn stopped but hesitated before

he turned around. Really, how much
worse could it get? “Yes?”

Faolan jerked his head at Tarina who

still had her back turned on him. “Looks
like you found her at last.”

Shayonn watched the man he loved

for several long, melancholic heartbeats.

Things between them were bound to
change now that he had found his
woman, but they had come close during
those past weeks—close enough to make
him

want

stay

with

Faolan

indefinitely,

despite

his

upcoming

marriage and fatherhood. He took a
breath and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I have
found her. Tarina, meet my personal
guard. Faolan, this is Tarina.” He
paused before he added, “My mate.”

A slow smile spread across Faolan’s

face as the brown-eyed blonde finally
moved to look at him. “Hello, Tara,” he
said. “It’s good to see you again.”

Shayonn’s eyebrows shot up. “You

know each other?”

“Oh, we’ve had the pleasure,” Faolan