Charlie Richards Wolves of Stone Ridge 04 Accepting His Human

Crypto Zoologist Drake Whitton works as a genetics
professor at Colin City College while he figures out how to
remove the eccentric label from his name, given to him by
his peer’s response to his last paper on the existence of the
chupacabra. He thinks he’s found the opportunity he needs
when a private firm asks him to dissect and analyze a new
DNA strand, and he discovers it contains both human and
reptilian characteristics. His plans are derailed when his car
gets hijacked by a detective on the run, his home gets broken
into by people from the corporation he’s been doing research
for, and he gets seduced by the doctor assigned to care for
the hijacker.

Doctor Ailean Carmichael never expects to find a mate, let

alone a human one, but he’s willing to take what Fate gives
him. After all, not all humans are like his late foster parents,
right? And an orphaned, exiled black jaguar living in a wolf
shifter’s territory doesn’t have too many options. He decides
seducing the naïve professor will be delicious fun for both of
them, until Ailean realizes he needs to protect his little mate
from those bent on experimenting on and eradicating
shifters. But when Ailean discovers Drake actually works for
the scientists trying to destroy him and his friends, will he
take the time to listen to Drake’s explanation? Or will he
decide all humans really are the same?

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Accepting His Human

ISBN: 978-1-77111-034-1

Cover art by Martine Jardin

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Accepting His Human

Wolves of Stone Ridge Four

Charlie Richards

To all those who love shifters as much as I do!

Chapter One

rake Whitton strode out of the building, fighting back the
urge to run. Man, those guys give me the heebie jeebies. If he

didn’t need the grant money so bad, he would have told
them no after the first meeting. But it was tough to find
anyone willing to front money to a crypto zoologist, and one
thought to be eccentric at that.

Maybe he should walk away. It wasn’t like he needed to

do research to survive. He’d fallen back on his teaching
degree last year after the critics tore apart his paper on the
existence of the chupacabra. He should have known better
than to publish something so controversial.

Drake rubbed a hand over his lean face, realizing he’d lost

weight since taking this grant from the Crystal Lake
Corporation. Their schedule for results was pretty
aggressive, and Drake often found it difficult to find time, if
he even remembered, to eat. And getting enough sleep at
night? Forget it. He was lucky if he managed four hours.

Letting out a sigh, he lifted the key fob and pressed a

button. The lights to his hatchback Ford Focus blinked, and
he heard a muted click, the noise that meant he was pushing
the button to unlock an already unlocked car. Odd. He felt
certain he’d locked it.

Drake glanced around warily but saw nothing amiss. He

was the only one in the parking lot. Rolling his shoulders, he
tried to relieve the tension. He continued to sweep his gaze
over the area as he climbed into his car. After putting the

Accepting His Animal

keys in the ignition, Drake fastened his seatbelt and started
the vehicle. He put the car in reverse and looked in the rear
view mirror, checking for traffic that he knew wasn’t there.

His eyes widened as he focused on the gun.
“Drive,” the man lying across his tiny backseat ordered.
Drake’s jaw dropped open, and he struggled to breathe.
“Just drive and you won’t get hurt.” The rasping order of

the gunman came again.

Nodding quickly, he headed out of the parking lot. “W-

where do I need to take you, sir?” Drake managed to squeak
out after several moments of tense silence. Yeah, that
sounded so un-manly, but he was a college professor and
scientist, not a courageous man.

“Grady,” his armed hitchhiker wheezed.
It was then that Drake noticed the metallic scent of blood

filling the small car. Another look in the mirror showed the
bruising covering the man’s face and the dark, dried blood
caking his arms. His eyes widened even more. What had
happened to this man? “Is your name Grady?”

For a second the man just stared at him, and Drake

worried he’d managed to anger him.

The man shook his head slowly and said, “Need to get to

Detective Grady Stryker.”

The man’s words were slow and deliberate, as if each

word was an effort. “Detective Grady Stryker?” At the man’s
slow nod, Drake couldn’t stop a smile, or the nervous laugh.
That’s odd. Why would a kidnapper want to get to a cop?
Hopefully this Grady fellow wasn’t crooked. “Okay,” Drake
said softly. “Just relax. I’ll find Detective Stryker for you.”

His words seemed to soothe the man because he eased

back onto the seat and let out a sigh. Drake worried his lip,
eyeing his uninvited, and evidently severely injured,
passenger. What on earth happened to him? Should I take him to
my condo? If he were to find this detective, he’d need to get

Charlie Richards

online and do a search, and it wasn’t safe to use his phone
and drive. Hopefully, this guy wouldn’t be too far away. Or
maybe…

“Do you know Detective Stryker’s phone number?”
His inquiry received no response. On a straight stretch of

road, he took a long look in his mirror and realized the man
had passed out, either from exhaustion or from his injuries,
Drake didn’t know. Okay. My condo it is.

Fifteen minutes later had him driving through the gate of

his secured community. He hurriedly parked his Focus in
his garage and hit the button to close the garage door,
locking them inside the cavernous room. If he could get the
gun away from the man and then get online, maybe he could
locate the detective and get some answers, or he could drive
back out of the garage and to the nearest police station.
Another look in the mirror at the severely injured man had
Drake opening the door and shoving his seat forward. He
sucked in a breath as he got his first good look at the
stranger. Short dark hair was matted with blood, and dark,
square facial features were obscured by bruises, scabs, and a
bushy beard. Even in sleep, the man clutched a rough, gray,
military style blanket around his body. The arm he could
see, the one holding the handgun, was pale, a chafing line
around the wrist indicating confinement, and needle marks.
Crap! Is he a druggie?

Having no way of knowing, he carefully eased the

weapon out of the unresponsive man’s fingers. Not knowing
anything about guns, he set it on the floor and used a foot to
push it under his car. Then he reached forward and pressed
his fingers to the man’s neck. Relief filled him when he
found a pulse, weak, but it was there.

Drake pulled out his blackberry and started a search. He

found a Detective Grady Stryker who was a homicide officer
commissioned out of Stone Ridge, a town a little over an

Accepting His Animal

hour from Colin City, where Drake lived and worked.
Noting the number, he entered it into his phone and pushed
send.

He crossed his fingers for luck, praying the man would

answer. A glance at his watch showed him it was already
nearing ten-thirty at night. Cringing at having to call anyone
this late, Drake worried his lip and eyed the prone form still
in his car.

A deep voice answered on the fourth ring. “Stryker here.”
“Detective Grady Stryker?” Drake asked warily.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
Drake frowned. “Is this Detective Grady Stryker?” he

asked, a little louder.

“Fuck, I can’t hear anyone. Piece of shit.”
He heard the deep voice growl into the phone.
“Give me that,” another man said, his voice faint enough

that Drake realized he must have been standing right next to
the detective. “Hold on,” the second man said, his voice
much clearer.

Drake knew the stranger now spoke into the phone, to

him.

“You gotta stop playing with the buttons, stud. You

screwed with the volume again.”

Drake’s brows shot up. Stud? What on earth? Seconds

later, he heard the tenor again.

“You still there?”
“Yes,” Drake managed to answer, thoroughly confused.
“Good. Hang on.”
“Stryker here.” The deep bass voice sounded into the

phone again, this time with a hint of irritation.

“Are you…are you Detective Grady Stryker?” Drake

asked, suddenly hesitant.

There was a short silence, before, “Yeah. Who is this?”
“My name is Professor Drake Whitton. I picked up

Charlie Richards

someone who says he’s looking for you.” Drake stared at the
injured man as he spoke, willing the man to wake up. He
didn’t.

“Who?”
Well, that was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? How

to answer… “Um. I don’t know his name. He
kinda…well…I gave him a ride, and he passed out in the
back. He’s injured. There’s bruising on his face and blood on
his arms.”

“Shit!” the detective snarled. Hushed voices murmured in

the background, this time too quiet for the sensitive phone to
pick up and pass on. Finally, he heard, “Does he have dark
hair and eyes? Stands about six foot?”

“Uh…” Drake swept his gaze over the man. “He has dark

hair. I didn’t notice his eyes, and he’s lying down, so I don’t
know his height.” Before the detective could say anything
else, Drake said, “Look. He’s pretty beat up. I think I should
take him to a hospital. Maybe you could meet me there.”

The next long pause made him twitch nervously. What if

the detective thought he was the one who beat the guy up?
Of course, one look at him, and the guy would know that
wasn’t even a remote possibility. Drake was five-foot-nine
with light chocolate skin, thanks to his half African
American, half Swedish father, wore glasses, and was
skinny, not lithe or tone or any of those flattering ways of
saying someone was thin. He had to work to weigh more
than one hundred twenty pounds, and women were more
interested in getting some meat on his bones than dating him,
which was good, since Drake was gay, very, very gay. He
couldn’t imagine what he’d do with a woman if she ended
up interested.

“Are you near Colin City or Sugar Creek?” The deep

voice interrupted his stray musings.

“Yes. Colin City.”

Accepting His Animal

“Take him to Colin City Hospital. Know where that is?”
“Yes.”
“Ask for Doctor Carmichael. I’m going to call and tell the

doc he’s coming. Can you do that?”

“Yes.” Oops! Now I feel like a broken record, better say

something else. “I’m not too far from there. I’ll have your
friend there in about ten minutes or so.”

“Good. I’ll see you there, Professor.”
After popping his head into the condo and yelling to his

brother that he needed to run out again, Drake climbed back
into his car and started it up. Hitting the garage door opener,
he eased out of the enclosure and back onto the street. After
closing the garage door, he glanced in the rear view mirror
again, more to assure himself that the man was still
unconscious than anything else.

* * * *

Doctor Ailean Carmichael let out a low growl as he set the
phone down. Some idiot human was bringing in an injured
man, possibly Detective Sullivan. The big cat shifter figured
he should be grateful for the good Samaritan, since they’d
been looking for the missing man for two weeks, but it sure
made his job more difficult. All his rooms were full, which
meant he’d have to transfer a patient to Doctor Lansey, who
would raise a fuss and demand all kinds of explanations. The
prick.

He strode to the emergency room admissions desk and

smiled at Bernice. “I need to free up one of my rooms. Can
you transfer Mr. Sanders from room three into one of Doctor
Lansey’s rooms, please?”

The woman grimaced, but nodded. “Yes, Doctor.” Still

typing, she glanced up at him. “You know he’s not going to
be happy.”

Charlie Richards

“I know, Bernice.” He tapped his clipboard on the desk in

agitation. “If he gives you any trouble, tell him the order
came from me.”

“You’ll probably be seeing him in exactly…six minutes,”

she said after glancing at the clock.

Ailean nodded, knowing she was probably right. A

couple moments later, just coming out of the room of one of
his patients, he found a glaring Doctor Lansey. He glanced
at his watch and lifted a brow. Damn. Six minutes. Is Bernice
psychic? More probable was the fact that the older woman
had been working at the hospital for two decades.

“Why did you transfer your patient to me? Don’t you

think I have enough of my own?” the other doctor snarled
angrily.

Doctor Lansey did a damn fine impersonation of a cat,

Ailean thought, staring at the man. “I received a call from
Detective Stryker notifying me that an injured man was on
his way. He asked that I take a look at him,” he said,
crossing his arms over his white coat.

“And you couldn’t just give that patient to me?” Doctor

Lansey scoffed.

“No,” he replied. He’d be damned if he explained himself

to this human.

“Why not?”
“Doctor Carmichael, please report to the emergency room

desk,” Bernice’s voice came over the intercom.

Ailean turned on his heel and walked down the hall,

dismissing the irritating man behind him. As he neared the
reception area, a sweet musky scent hit his senses, making
his cock perk up and take notice. What the hell? Trying to
ignore the sudden onslaught of lust, Ailean crossed the room
while taking in the occupants.

Half a dozen patients occupied chairs. An orderly walked

past him, taking another patient through the doors behind

Accepting His Animal

him to a room. Bernice sat at her desk, keying information
into her computer. And a cute man stood nervously in front
of her desk, twisting his long slender fingers in agitation.

He couldn’t help but give the human a once over as he

walked toward him. Light chocolate skin and short, dark
brown hair spoke of a mixed heritage. The stranger stood
around five nine and had a lean body, a little too lean in fact.
The poor human looked like a stiff wind would blow him
over. A strange desire to hold the man and ease whatever
stress caused the man’s obvious tension swept over Ailean.

Frowning at the ridiculous notion, he made his way over

and stopped next to the desk. The small human stared up at
him, and his deep brown eyes widened as he swept his gaze
over Ailean’s body. He smirked, keeping his eyes on the
human as he said, “You called for me, Bernice?”

“Yes, Doctor,” she replied, her gaze glancing from one

man to the other. “This gentleman says Detective Stryker
sent him to see you.”

“Thank you, Bernice,” he said. “Come this way.” He

rested a hand on the man’s shoulder and a bolt of desire shot
through his body, making his dick tighten and jerk in his
scrubs. Mate! Ailean snatched his hand away as if burned
and sucked in a breath. No. It can’t be! My mate can’t be
human! But the intoxicating scent that surrounded them as
the man followed where Ailean led to a quiet corner of the
reception room didn’t lie. Fuck!

Glaring, he snapped, “Where’s Lyle?”
The man’s brows shot up. “Lyle? Oh, my hitchhiker!” He

wrapped his arms around his midsection and dropped his
gaze to the floor. “He’s in my car. I couldn’t get him out.
He’s too big.”

And, well hell, now he felt bad for growling at the

human, and Ailean wanted to wrap his arms around him
and soothe him. Letting out a frustrated breath, he said, “Let

Charlie Richards

me get a stretcher and then you can lead the way.”

The man nodded quickly, still not looking at him.

Running a hand through his thick black hair, Ailean headed
toward the back to get what he needed. He was back a
moment later. The man glanced up quickly before averting
his eyes. Shit! Ailean didn’t want the man scared of him.
How the hell was he supposed to seduce him that way?
Even if he was human, a shifter only received one mate.

Then another thought struck. What if the human wasn’t

gay? That put a whole new spin on the situation. He’d have
to find out. But first… “Where’s your car?”

“This way,” came the soft, breathy reply that had Ailean’s

balls aching.

Swallowing his desire, so glad the coat he wore reached

mid-thigh and hid his erection, he followed out the door.
The man glanced over his shoulder at him. “Don’t you need
an orderly to help or something?”

“Nope,” Ailean said. His shifter strength would be more

than enough to get Detective Sullivan, or whoever it turned
out to be, out of the car. At least he thought so until he saw
the tiny hatchback’s lights flash in response to his mate
hitting a key fob. He may need the little human’s help just
due to the awkward confines of the vehicle. He pulled open
the car door and got a good look at the detective. “Fuck,
Lyle. What’d they do to you?” he growled.

Blood covered the human’s arms, face, and neck, and

Ailean knew some of the discolorations were masses of
bruises. He mentally cringed at what he’d find under the
blanket. He turned to the good Samaritan and motioned him
over. “Okay. I’m going to need you to keep the stretcher
steady as I pull him out and get him on it.”

The man nodded and wrapped long fingers around the

metal bars of the stretcher. For a second, Ailean stared at
those fingers, wondering what their length would feel like

Accepting His Animal

around his dick. Shit! Giving himself a mental slap, he
turned back to Lyle. The man needed help, and here he
stood lusting over his mate, one that didn’t look like he
returned Ailean’s desire.

Gritting his teeth, Ailean placed one foot in the car and

maneuvered his big body into the back seat of the little
vehicle. He wrapped his arms under Lyle and carefully lifted
him. Lyle groaned, his eyes fluttering. The fingers of his
right hand seemed to clench convulsively on empty air, then
the detectives eyes snapped open. He started to struggle.

“Easy, Lyle,” he muttered to the thrashing man. “It’s

Doctor Carmichael. Ailean Carmichael. You’re going to be
okay.” Damn, he hoped he wasn’t lying to the man.

Finally, Lyle stilled. Focusing dilated eyes on him, he

whispered, “Ailean?”

“Yup. I’m gonna get you fixed up, Detective,” he purred

soothingly. Sometimes it was good to be a cat. For some
reason, purring soothed even the most upset human. Out of
the corner of his eye, he saw the little man shiver and
discreetly adjust his dick. Ailean hid a smile, pleased the
man wasn’t completely immune to him.

“Grady?” Lyle whispered.
“He’s on his way. Just relax. I’m taking you into the

hospital, so we can get you fixed up.”

“No. No hospital,” Lyle muttered, beginning to wriggle

again.

Tightening his hold as his back started to burn from

holding the awkward position, Ailean purred again. “Easy.
It’ll be off the record. No one knows you’re here except me,
Grady, Gordon, and the one who found you. You’ll be fine.”

Lyle opened his mouth again, probably to protest, but the

words died in his throat as he passed back out. That was
definitely a blessing, for both of them. Moving again, Ailean
pulled Lyle from the car as gently as possible. His mate was

Charlie Richards

there instantly with the stretcher. “Hold it steady, little
mate,” he commanded as he set Lyle down. The man
nodded absently as he held the rolling cot’s frame. Ailean
quickly strapped Lyle down, so he wouldn’t fall off during
his quick trip across the parking lot.

A dozen feet toward the door, he paused, realizing his

mate wasn’t following. Ailean turned and saw the man once
again twisting his fingers nervously as he stared at his car.
The man looked like he was ready to bolt, and that just
wouldn’t do.

Ailean moved back to him and wrapped an arm around

the skittish human’s waist. “Come along, little mate,” he
purred. The man sagged against him, fitting perfectly
against his bigger six-foot frame. Heat seared through his
veins at the contact.

“Maybe I could just go?” the man said softly.
Pushing the stretcher with one hand, he kept the other

firmly around his mate. “I’m afraid not. Detective Stryker
will need to speak with you,” he said. When the man tensed,
he squeezed the bony shoulders he held. “Don’t worry.
Everything will be fine.”

Accepting His Animal

Chapter Two

rake expected the doctor to release him once they walked
back into the hospital, but to his surprise, and pleasure,

he didn’t. He kept his arm wrapped around his shoulders,
nodded at Bernice as he called, “I’ll be back with info on this
one.”

The woman lifted a brow in obvious curiosity, but she

waved a hand in acknowledgement and went back to her
typing. Doctor Carmichael pushed the stretcher into a large
room. “Have a seat, little mate,” he said. “Grady lives in
Stone Ridge, but I’m sure he’ll hurry.”

He nodded, watching the bigger man for several minutes

as his mind whirled with questions, like what he’d landed in
the middle of, because he couldn’t imagine this was normal
procedure. The man, Lyle the doctor had called him, hadn’t
even been checked in, and the doctor didn’t call for nurses or
anyone else to help him. Instead, he shut the door and
started cleaning up the man and hooking up IVs himself.
Was that normal?

“You called him Lyle. Do you know him?” He figured

that was a safe question.

Doctor Carmichael glanced at him before returning to his

work. “Yes. I’ve met him a couple times.”

“Who is he?”
This time the doctor’s honey-brown eyes stayed on him

Charlie Richards

for a bit longer. He seemed to be assessing Drake, and he
flushed under the man’s scrutiny. His skin still tingled from
where he’d pressed him close to his side. He wanted to shift
in his chair and find a more comfortable position for his
cock, which had gone hard from the contact. Drake couldn’t
remember the last time someone had turned him on so much
so fast. But he knew that would be inappropriate and a dead
giveaway to his orientation, and he didn’t want to offend the
nice doctor.

“His name is Detective Lyle Sullivan.”
Well, one thing could be said for Doctor Carmichael, he

sure didn’t volunteer information. “What happened to
him?”

“He went missing two weeks ago. From the looks of

things, someone held him captive and tortured him,” he
replied bluntly.

Drake sucked in a breath, his eyes widening in his head.

“That’s terrible,” he whispered.

Doctor Carmichael lifted his head and nodded. “Yes, little

mate, it is.”

He frowned, wondering why the man kept calling him

that. He’d used that term several times now, and he
wondered what meaning it held. He knew he was little, but
they weren’t friends, not that he didn’t want to be. But he
couldn’t imagine the doctor wanting to be friends with
someone like him, an eccentric, poor, skinny professor.

Before he could ask, a light knock sounded on the door.

Doctor Carmichael paused and took a deep breath, before
saying, “Come in, Grady.”

Weird. How did he know?
A large muscle-bound blond man strode into the room

followed by a shorter, slightly heavy man with long, steel-
gray hair. The bigger man frowned and muttered an
explicative under his breath.

Accepting His Animal

The doctor smirked. “Yeah. That’s what I said upon first

sight.”

He watched the shorter man rest a hand on the blond’s

shoulder and whisper, “Easy, Grady.”

To Drake’s surprise, Grady, the detective, wrapped his

own hand around the other man’s, holding it in place. Huh,

are they a couple? Impossible. The detective oozed testosterone!
Family, then? If so, Drake couldn’t make out any parental
markers between their features.

“Is he going to make it?” the detective asked.
Doctor Carmichael grimaced. “I’m not sure yet. He seems

stable, but I still need to run some tests. Check for internal
bleeding, concussion, broken bones, blood work, that sort of
thing. You got here awful quick, so I haven’t had time yet.”

Grady turned toward Drake, and he wanted to cringe.

This man’s calculating gaze made him feel like prey in the
presence of a hungry lion.

“Are you Professor Drake Whitton?”
Drake nodded.
Grady looked back at the doctor. “Think you can run your

tests while I chat with the professor, Ailean?”

The doctor, Ailean, nodded. What an exotic name. He

wanted to ask it’s origin when the man spoke.

“Sure.” Ailean’s gaze fixed on him, removing the chill

he’d gotten from Grady’s stare. “You’ll be fine with Grady,
little mate. He just needs to ask you some questions.”

How did Ailean know he’d been nervous? Drake looked

down and realized his twisting fingers must have given him
away. His head snapped back up. “Why do you keep calling
me little mate?”

Ailean left the bed and headed toward him, his body

moving with sensual grace. “I didn’t know your name,” he
said, stopping in front of him. “Would you prefer I call you
handsome? Maybe sweet baby?”

Charlie Richards

Okay, so the doctor did seem to swing his way, but why

would he be interested in him? He wasn’t attractive by any
means.

Trying to control his erratic reactions to the man, he

frowned. “My name is Drake.”

Ailean used a finger under Drake’s chin to lift his gaze. “I

still prefer little mate, Drake. Don’t go anywhere until I
return. I want to ask for your phone number.”

Then to his utter shock, Ailean brushed his lips lightly

over Drake’s in the gentlest, most sensual caress. Before he
even realized it was happening, it ended. His first real kiss
and he’d been too stunned to reciprocate. But Ailean didn’t
seem to mind. He straightened and turned to a stunned
looking Grady. “I’ll be back.”

“Little mate, huh?” Grady murmured, concern etched on

his features.

The doctor lifted a brow as if daring the larger man to

contradict him. “Yes.”

Silent messages seemed to pass between the two men, but

before Drake could even begin to guess at what it meant,
Ailean wheeled Lyle out of the room and disappeared. The
door clicking shut sounded so ominous to Drake’s ears that
he tensed.

Grady eased onto the hard plastic chair next to him and

sighed. “Relax,” he said. “I just have some questions.”

Drake nodded, suddenly feeling more at ease. It was like

all the aggression had gone out of the man and left behind
was a bone weary friend. “I’ll help any way I can,” he
assured. He really did want to help. No one deserved to be
beaten.

“Where did you pick up Lyle?” Grady asked.
“It was outside the Fitzgerald Building on third and

ninth. I had just left a meeting with my contractor, the
Crystal Creek Corporation, and when I climbed into my car

Accepting His Animal

he was in the back,” he stated.

“In the back? He was already there?”
The man’s tone made it apparent that he didn’t believe

him, and Drake frowned. “Yes.” He rose, agitation making it
hard to keep still. “I thought I’d locked the car, but when I
hit the unlock button, it made that click noise like it was
already open. I looked around, but didn’t see anyone, so I
climbed into the car.” Drake crossed his arms over his chest
and glared at the detective. “When I looked into the
rearview mirror, there he was, and…” He worried his lip,
suddenly uncertain. He knew Ailean wouldn’t hurt him, he
wasn’t sure how he knew, but he was certain of it. He wasn’t
so sure about these two though, and the doctor was gone.

“And what?” Grady asked gently.
Knowing he couldn’t hide the information, he shared,

“And he was holding a gun on me.”

Grady nodded slowly, his throat working as he

swallowed hard. “Did he say anything to you?”

Drake nodded. “Yes. He told me to drive and I wouldn’t

get hurt.”

“And?”
He let out a huff. “What do you mean and? I drove!” he

yelled. Fatigue, pressure, and hunger made his fuse
suddenly too short, and he wanted Ailean to come back. He
found something about that man soothing, and he liked
knowing the man liked him.

“Please calm down, Professor,” the man in the corner

finally spoke. “We know this situation is trying, to have
someone pull a gun on you and highjack your car. Being out
of control is never easy. Please, Lyle is a good man and
would never have done this under normal circumstances.
He’d never have pulled a stranger into his problems if it
wasn’t absolutely necessary.”

Drake nodded slowly, mulling over the other man’s

Charlie Richards

words. They rang true. “Who are you? Are you a detective,
too?”

The man smiled, his black eyes belying the warmth in his

face. “I’m sorry. I’m Doctor Gordon Digby. I’m Grady’s
partner.”

Partner? “I thought Doctor Carmichael said Lyle is

Grady’s partner?”

Gordon chuckled, sharing a smile with Grady. “Not that

kind of partner, Drake.”

“Oh.” Well, that answered that question. The big men

really were gay! To have the two men so openly confirm
their relationship shocked and confused him. He wasn’t in
the closet by any means, not really, but no one really asked
him what his preference was, and that’s the way he liked it.
He wasn’t sure he could keep his teaching position
otherwise.

“Now,” Grady said, rising smoothly from his chair. “You

were saying that Lyle was in your car when you left the
Fitzgerald building, and you started to drive. What else did
he say? How did you know to call me?” the man asked as he
put a hand on Drake’s shoulder and steered him back to his
chair.

He went willingly, mainly because he knew there was no

way he could overpower the big detective. Closing his eyes,
he brought up the scene in his mind. Due to years of
scientific research, he’d trained his mind to remember even
minute details. That skill paid off now. “Okay. Lyle said
Drive. And when I sat there in terror, he said Just drive and
you won’t get hurt. I obeyed pretty quickly that time. After I
pulled out of the parking lot, I stuttered out W-where would
you like me to take you, sir? Thinking it’d be a good idea to be
polite to the man with the gun. His answer confused me. He
said Grady.”

Drake opened his eyes. “Now I know he meant he wanted

Accepting His Animal

me to take him to you, but I didn’t know that at the time. I
asked him Is that your name? It took him a while to answer,
but he finally replied, Need to get to Detective Grady Stryker. I
thought that was weird, too. A hijacker wanting to be taken
to a detective, and then the thought occurred to me that
maybe you were a dirty cop. You aren’t, are you?” He
paused expectantly, praying the man wasn’t.

Realizing he expected an answer, Grady lifted a brow and

shook his head. “No.”

Letting out a breath of relief, Drake nodded. “Oh, good.”

He paused. Where did I leave off? Oh yes. “Anyway, I noticed
the bruises and blood on his face and arms and realized
something bad had happened to him. So I confirmed your
name, but when I asked Lyle if he knew your phone
number, he didn’t answer. He’d passed out by then, you
see,” he added.

He glanced between Grady and Gordon, trying to

ascertain if they were following. He knew that once he got
going with a lecture, he could sometimes lose his students.
He figured this couldn’t be too much different. After both
men nodded, and Grady waved a hand as if to say go on, he
did. “I didn’t know who you were, Detective, so I went
home and…”

“You took him to your home?” Grady cut in.
Drake cocked his head. “Yeah. I didn’t take him into the

house. I just closed us into the garage. I needed a safe place
to connect to the internet and find out who you were. That’s
where I called you from, my garage.”

He watched Grady and Gordon again exchange looks he

couldn’t decipher. Well, that’s just frustrating. What is going
on? He sighed, suddenly sure he didn’t want to know. If it
involved people hurting other people like they did to
Detective Sullivan, then Drake didn’t want anything to do
with it. “After talking to you, I brought Lyle here.” He

Charlie Richards

shrugged.

Grady nodded. “Okay. What happened to the gun? Is it

still in your car?”

“Oh, no,” he said, biting his lip. “I took it away and

kicked it under the car. I didn’t pick it back up, so it’s still in
the garage. Do you want to follow me home to get it?” Then
he hoped he could go to sleep, but he still had research to do
and an early class tomorrow. He fought back a sigh.
Bummer, he wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight.

The detective leaned against the bed. “I will need to do

that, yes. I’d also like you to take me to where your car was
parked when you picked Lyle up, but it needs to be in the
daylight. Are you available tomorrow?”

Rubbing his brow, he thought about everything he

needed to do the next day. Slowly he nodded. “I have a
break in classes between eleven-thirty and one. I can meet
you at the corner of sixth and ninth at eleven-forty-five. That
should give me enough time to show you were it is and be
back for my next class.”

“Will that give you enough time to eat?”
Drake whirled at the growling voice, a flood of warmth

he’d never felt before hit him when he saw Ailean in the
doorway. Uh, oh. He shouldn’t like the man this much this
fast, especially since he didn’t know anything about him. He
chewed his bottom lip in consternation.

* * * *

Ailean couldn’t believe he’d just said that, but the man
obviously didn’t take care of himself. The nibbling on his lip
and abashed look just confirmed it. It also made him so
fucking cute Ailean’s teeth ached. And so did his shaft. He
wanted to order everyone else out of the room and taste that
plump bottom lip that Drake worried.

Accepting His Animal

Instead, he rolled the stretcher into the room and

motioned for Grady to help him lift the still unconscious
Lyle onto the bed. Once done, he moved the stretcher into
the hall. He closed the door and crossed the room to stand in
front of Drake.

The skinny human’s mouth opened and closed like a fish,

and Ailean couldn’t stop the grin. “Now, does that leave you
time for lunch, little mate?”

“Uh, no,” he whispered.
“Then that won’t work, will it?” He brushed Drake’s jaw

with the tips of his fingers to soften his words. “I don’t work
tomorrow until three in the afternoon. How about I pick you
up at the campus with lunch? That way you can eat while I
drive?” he offered.

He continued to stroke his little mate’s soft skin,

marveling at how right it felt to touch the human. How could
Fate give me a human? He’d never had any good experiences
with them. Fuck, he hoped this would be different. He
frowned at the thought. Of course it would be different. This
is my mate!

Drake gave a quick nod. “Okay. I’d like that,” he

murmured, ducking his head.

Ailean wondered if it was shyness or something else.

Inexperience? He’d have to see. “Good,” Ailean replied.
“Now, give me your phone number, little mate,” he ordered
softly, handing the man a pen and his clipboard.

He watched Drake glance between him and the other two

men in the room. From the corner of his eye, Ailean watched
Gordon give his little mate a wink and an encouraging nod.
Drake gave a slight smile and scribbled an almost illegible
string of figures across the page. He’d have to remember to
find a way to thank the elephant shifter. Whatever had
happened while he was gone, Drake seemed to value
Gordon’s opinion. He owed the man.

Charlie Richards

“And people say a doctor’s signature is bad,” he teased,

taking the clipboard back. Drake opened his mouth, starting
to stutter something, but Ailean rested an index finger
against the soft lips he so desperately wanted to taste
properly. The little peck from earlier hadn’t been nearly
enough. “Relax,” he assured. “I’m just teasing. Go with
Grady, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Drake murmured, his eyes slightly dilated.
What a fucking sexy look. Ailean couldn’t stop himself from

pulling the shorter man to his feet, cupping his jaw, and
claiming his lips. Surprise shot through Ailean when Drake
froze in his arms for several seconds. But he patiently
brushed the man’s lips again and again and soon Drake
melted into Ailean’s embrace. Inexperience. Definitely
inexperience. He flicked his tongue out, tracing Drake’s lips,
tasting lightly. When he didn’t automatically open, he gently
nipped his mate’s full bottom lip.

A sharp inhalation had Drake opening slightly, allowing

Ailean the access he wanted. He took advantage. As he slid
his tongue into the narrow gap between Drake’s teeth, he
wrapped his arms around his mate’s slender waist and
pulled him flush to his body.

Holy shit! Ailean’s dick shot rock hard and leaking. It

jerked and pulsed against his mate’s stomach. Moaning
softly, he plundered Drake’s mouth, mapping the man’s
teeth, gums, and tongue. Finally, needing air, Ailean
lamented having to ease the kiss to an end.

Blinking, he took a deep breath, watching his mate’s

cheeks flame underneath his bronze coloring. Ailean looked
from the corner of his eye and gave Gordon and Grady a
slight smile at their attempt at giving them some sense of
privacy in the small room. Both had their backs to the
couple.

“Hey, none of that now,” Ailean whispered, drawing

Accepting His Animal

Drake’s attention. “We aren’t doing anything wrong, and
we’re certainly not bothering my friends. You should see
them when they get going,” he teased, winking largely.

That just caused Drake’s blush to deepen. Yup. Definitely

inexperience. He’d have to remember that. He kissed his mate
lightly one more time before pulling away. “It’s late, and
from what you’ve said, it sounds like you have an early
class. Get going and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” his mate replied breathily. “I’ll, uh…” Drake

cleared his throat. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Most definitely,” Ailean promised.
He watched the three men file out of the room. Grady

gave him a nod, telling him without words that he’d find a
way to keep an eye on Drake when Ailean wasn’t around.
He didn’t know if it was the detective’s way of saying
thanks for helping his mate heal from a broken arm a couple
weeks ago, or if it was because Drake was essential for
finding those who’d hurt Lyle. Either way, he appreciated it.

He was busy checking vitals when a knock sounded on

the door five minutes later. Opening it, he found Bernice.
“No one brought the chart for this man yet. Is it ready,” she
asked.

Ailean sighed and held up his clipboard. “The detective

just left. I’m almost done filling out the paperwork, and I’ll
have it to you in fifteen minutes,” he promised.

Bernice nodded and turned away, although she did shake

her head as she walked down the hall. Sliding a needle into
the IV port, he injected Lyle with several CCs of morphine.
The man needed to stay asleep for at least a day. He had so
many bruises and lacerations, Ailean had great respect for
the human, just for the fact that the man had managed to
move, let alone escape!

He was just finishing the made up file when another

knock sounded at the door. A growl of frustration escaped

Charlie Richards

him. “I told you I’d have it to you soon,” he snarled as he
yanked open the door.

Declan McIntire smirked back at him. “Oh, really? Weel,

forgive me for fogettin’ yer words,” he replied, deepening
his Irish lilt just to give him crap.

Ailean shook his head. “What is this? Grand Central

Station tonight?”

He pulled the door open further and motioned the alpha

of the Stone Ridge pack into the room. Declan sniffed the
room openly before eyeing Lyle’s unconscious form and
settling into one of the hard patient chairs. Following the
large African American was a second man, a short brunet,
who he remembered as Todd something or other, having
met him once at a BBQ. He was a wolf shifter who’d been
held captive by the same scientists who’d held Lyle.

Todd hurried to Lyle’s side, immediately grasping the

hand that didn’t have a tube attached. He settled into the
chair by the bed and nuzzled Lyle’s cheek with his own,
whispering words even Ailean’s sensitive shifter hearing
couldn’t catch. He turned to Declan and lifted both brows in
silent question.

The wolf alpha grimaced. “Ailean, ye remember Todd

Abernathy. Lyle is his mate.” When Ailean opened his
mouth to express his confusion, Declan held up a hand.
“They’ve never actually met, but Todd recognized him the
night he was rescued from the scientists. Lyle’s scent is the
reason Todd convinced his brother Phillip to stay here with
him and join me pack.” The alpha rose and rubbed both
palms over his shaved scalp. “He needs to be here,” he
murmured to the ceiling. Turning to face Ailean, Declan
grimaced. “Even though they’re not mated yet, just his
presence will calm Lyle,” he said, entreating with his dark
brown eyes. “Please don’t make him go.”

Ailean let out a long sigh before grabbing his clipboard.

Accepting His Animal

“One Todd Abernathy,” he said as he wrote. “Significant
Other to Detective Lyle Sullivan,” he added out loud, his
gaze shifting between both men. After a shake of his head,
Ailean added, “Soft crooning from Todd relaxes volatile
patient. Open visitation for Todd allowed.”

He huffed a sigh. “You do realize that if anyone finds out,

they’ll be sure to have my…”

Declan rested a hand on his shoulder. “Yer aide to the

pack will not go forgotten,” he said. “Nor will yer friendship
to me.” The wolf sighed. “I may not like yer prejudices
against humans, but ye’re still me friend. If ye ever need
anything, just ask. I have sway with other people.” He gave
Ailean a long look. “Aye. Even human others.”

Ailean couldn’t stop the surprised grunt. “Thank you,

Declan. I never meant any offense.”

Declan winked. “I know. It’s just yer way. Sometimes ye

just need a reminder that ye have friends.”

Nodding deeply, Ailean grinned. “And for that, I’m truly

grateful.”

He watched Todd softly whisper nonsense words to Lyle

for several moments before he turned back to the wolf alpha.
“You know, I just met my mate, and he’s human,” he
revealed softly.

Declan grinned. “No kidding! Congratulations!”

Charlie Richards

Chapter Three

e couldn’t wrap his mind around what had happened at
the hospital. Not only did Drake get a date, he’d gotten

the hottest kiss ever. Not that he really had anything to
compare it to, but his dick was still hard from the contact.
And he had been able to feel how hard the other man’s cock
was, too. That had to mean something, right?

Opening the gate, he watched the detective’s car follow

him into the community and to his house. He opened his
garage and pulled inside. Grady’s car parked in the short
driveway behind him. Ducking down, he searched the floor
of the garage. He remembered distinctly kicking the gun
under his car. Maybe he should have parked in the driveway
until he’d found it.

“You all right?” Gordon’s confused tone had Drake

jerking his head up.

“Yeah. I’m just trying to find the gun. I know I kicked it

under here. Maybe I should move my car.” He frowned, his
gaze sweeping the ground.

Grady pulled a small flashlight out of his pocket and

swept the beam under Drake’s car. “Sorry, man. It doesn’t
look like it’s here. You sure about where you kicked it?”

Drake huffed. “I know what I did,” he snapped, letting

fatigue again sharpen his tone.

“Sorry, Drake. I didn’t mean anything by it.” The big man

Accepting His Animal

stood and sniffed the air. “Do you live alone?”

Frowning, Drake shook his head. “No. I live with my

brother, Dagus.”

“Do you think he may have picked it up?”
“The chances are extremely slim,” he replied. “Maybe I

kicked it farther across the garage than I thought,” he
mused, walking around the car and searching the other side.
With how organized and clean his garage was, there wasn’t
anywhere it could be hiding. It just isn’t here.

“Is your brother home, Drake?” Grady pressed. “Maybe

we should ask him.”

“Very well,” he said, sighing in resignation. He turned to

the two men and nibbled his lip. “Look, my brother is blind
and can be a little sensitive about it. Don’t…” He lifted a
hand, uncertain how to request that the men be polite.

“Hey, relax,” Gordon soothed. “We’re not about to make

any derogatory comments.”

Drake cocked his head. “How do you always know

what’s bothering me?”

The slightly heavy-set man chuckled. “I’m a psychiatrist.

I’m good at reading people,” he added with a shrug.

“Oh.” Drake unlocked the door and led the way into the

condo. He paused just inside the kitchen when he saw
Grady sniff again and then exchange looks with Gordon.
What was going on? “I’ll see if Dagus is up,” he said.

“Drake, is that you?”
That answered that question. Drake crossed into the

dining room, surprised to find his brother at the table. His
gaze swept the room. The laptop was off, and the man had
no brail papers spread across the table. “Yeah. It’s me.
What’s wrong?”

Surprise filled him when Dagus rose from the table and

moved straight into his arms. Drake wrapped up his brother,
tucking the taller man’s head into the crook of his neck.

Charlie Richards

“Shhh,” he murmured. “What’s wrong?” he crooned. “What
happened?”

“Someone was here,” Dagus whispered.
“Someone was here?” he asked in surprise. “What do you

mean?”

It was then that his brother’s trembling registered. He

shifted his hands to either side of Dagus’s head and pulled
his head back. Staring into his brother’s vacant green eyes,
he ordered, “Tell me what happened.” A shudder worked its
way through Dagus’s body, alarming Drake further. What on
earth?

“Someone else was here,” Grady growled. “Weren’t

they?”

Dagus jerked away. “Who the hell are you?”
Reaching for his brother’s tense form, Drake wrapped his

arms around the man’s waist to reassure him. “Easy, Dagus.
This is Detective Grady Stryker.”

“Shit, Drake. Why didn’t you tell me you were running

back out so you could bring a date home?” his brother
murmured, twisting in his arms to face him.

Drake shook his head, knowing the faint breeze it caused

would alert Dagus to his movement. “It’s not like that.
Grady is a…a friend,” he finished after a second.

Dagus caught his slip. He cocked his head for a second

before turning and looking right at Gordon. “Who are you?”

Gordon’s brows shot up, but the man answered smoothly,

“My name is Doctor Gordon Digby. We were on a date
when your brother called Grady.”

A frown marred Dagus’s dark face for a second, but then

his focus switched from Gordon to where Grady had stood
directly next to them. “You’re a couple?”

Grady chuckled softly from halfway inside the living

room. “Yes. Gordon is what you’d call my partner.” The big
man watched his brother swing around. He could almost

Accepting His Animal

hear Dagus’s silent, surprised exclamation. “Yeah. I’m over
here. Don’t worry. I haven’t met anyone yet who can hear
me move when I don’t want them to.”

“What’s going on?” Dagus whispered.
Drake wrapped an arm around his brother’s waist as

much to support Dagus as needing the contact himself. “I
had a problem on the way home from the Fitzgerald
building today,” he admitted. “A man hijacked my car.”

“Your car!”
“Yeah. He had just escaped from people torturing him

and needed help. He asked me to find Detective Stryker,
which I did, but not before I made a stop at home to access
the internet.” Drake explained. “I dropped the man’s gun in
my garage before calling the detective and then I took Lyle
to the hospital.”

“What happened?” Dagus asked.
Grady stepped close. “You said there was someone in

your house,” he interrupted. “How did you know?”

Dagus glared. “I’m blind, not deaf. I heard him!” he

roared indignantly.

“Easy, brother. He didn’t mean offense,” he crooned.

Drake turned his head and glared at the surprised detective.
Letting out a sigh, he said, “Look. Evidently, someone in the
area is doing something illegal. He’s already attacked one
detective, who happened to be Grady’s partner on the force,
and now he’s after us. I brought Lyle here, so they stopped
by to get the gun.” He grasped Dagus’s shoulders to get the
man’s attention. “Unless you’ve been in the garage?” he
questioned. “You haven’t been in the garage, have you?”

Dagus shook his head, his grip tightening on Drake. “No.

I haven’t been out there since last week.”

“Okay,” Drake replied, his tone asking his brother to

relax. Last week Dagus had gone on a date with an attorney.
One he’d met through his book dealings. The man had

Charlie Richards

wanted more than Dagus had wanted to give on a first date.
“I’m sorry to have caused such trouble at our place.”

Dagus frowned, reading his guilt through the tone of his

words. “What the hell is going on?” he murmured. “Why
would someone break into our condo?”

Letting out a sigh, Drake deflated. “I got into my car after

walking out of a meeting and realized Detective Sullivan
had crawled into my back seat,” he admitted.

“The detective who was abused crawled into your car?”

Dagus asked.

“Yeah,” Drake admitted. “He had a gun. He asked me to

drive away and find Detective Stryker. Before I did that, I
brought him here. Someone must have followed me,” Drake
admitted. “

“Wait,” Grady said, drawing their attention. “Why would

the guy come into your condo? If he found the gun in the
garage, what would draw him inside your place?”

Frowning, Drake took several slow deep breaths, trying to

remain calm and think. “Do you know which rooms they
searched?” he asked his brother.

Dagus remained silent for a moment, but Drake watched

his brother’s brows scrunch. He knew his brother was
thinking back over the sounds he’d heard. He saw the
detective open his mouth, but Drake cut him off with a
motion of his hand.

Finally, Dagus whispered, “The office. He spent at least

ten minutes quietly ruffling through your school papers.”

“Ah,” Drake murmured. His gaze lifted and shifted

between the two near strangers pacing his home, one of
them sniffing strangely. “I keep my college paperwork in the
office, but if someone didn’t know that, they may think it
had to do with my scientific research for the Crystal Lake
Corporation.”

He watched Grady’s jaw clench for several seconds and

Accepting His Animal

exchange a look with Doctor Digby. “Pack a bag. You’re
both coming with us. It’s not safe here anymore.”

“What? Why?” Drake squeaked.
“Because they know that you helped Detective Sullivan

escape. That means you’re on their radar,” Grady explained.

Drake frowned. “Who’s radar? What are you talking

about?”

“Look,” Grady said, softly. “I’ve been searching for

information on this company for the last month. Two weeks
ago, they kidnapped my partner. They run illegal drugs and
are housed right here in Colin City. You helped Lyle escape.
You confirmed the name of the corporation involved. You’re
now an enemy.”

As he looked between them, realization dawned.

Somehow, he’d allowed himself to be hired by drug dealers.
Just another example of how burying his nose under a
microscope made him naïve to the ways of the world. “I…I
didn’t know,” he whispered. He wrapped his arms back
around Dagus and pulled his brother close. “I’m so sorry.”

“Hey. Easy now,” Gordon soothed. “It’s not your fault.

You didn’t know.” He wrapped his hands around Drake’s
shoulders and kneaded them gently. “Let’s get you and your
brother to safety. We’ll all get some sleep, and then
tomorrow, we’ll go from there. Okay?”

He felt his breathing stutter, and a sudden desire to call

Ailean filled him. Shoot! Where did that come from? As if the
doctor wanted anything to do with his problems!

After taking a deep breath to relax his scattered senses,

Drake nodded. “Yeah. Let me pack a couple bags.” Another
thought occurred to him. “What about my classes
tomorrow?”

Grady shook his head. “Sorry, Drake. Give me a couple

days to figure out if you’re really at risk, then we’ll talk
about you going back to teaching.”

Charlie Richards

Drake wanted to scream. With one stupid mistake, giving

in to his desire to do research again, he’d turned his and his
brother’s lives upside down. He hadn’t needed the money,
and he hadn’t really had the time either, but he’d so wanted
the chance to prove that his theories were viable to the
scientific community. Why couldn’t I just leave well enough

alone?

Fighting back tears, he gently led Dagus back to the table

and settled him into a chair. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a
moment.”

He hurried into his bedroom, catching snippets of

Grady’s conversation to someone named Declan as he
passed through the living room. Ten minutes later, he’d
called in to work, claiming an illness his queasy stomach
actually justified, and now bundled Dagus into his coat and
settled him into the front seat of his car. He eased his vehicle
out of the driveway, making certain he shut the garage, and
then followed Grady and Gordon’s truck out of the complex
and then out of Colin City.

“Where are we going?” Dagus asked quietly.
Drake reached over and gripped his brother’s hand. “I’m

not certain, but don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to
you,” he promised.

Forty minutes later, he followed Grady down a long,

winding, gravel driveway and parked in front of a large
lodge. Two stories high with stone trim around the base and
windows, Drake couldn’t believe that something this
gorgeous was hidden this deep in the forest. The passenger
door squeaked, alerting Drake that Dagus was on the move.

“Where are we?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted, rushing to his brother’s side.

“Here comes Detective Stryker. I’m sure he’ll let us know.”

Wrapping his arm around Dagus’s waist, he watched

Grady wave, motioning him to stay put for the time being as

Accepting His Animal

he headed toward the door. Gordon stopped close to them.
“Relax,” the doctor told him. “Declan told us he was at the
hospital and Lark was on his way home from work. We just
need to be certain one of them arrived home.”

“Oh. Who are they?” he asked as he watched Grady

knock heavily on the door.

Gordon smiled. “Declan is the local head of the park

rangers. Lark is a doctor at Cedar Creek Memorial. They’re
both good men. You’ll be safe here.”

Drake could hear the respect in Gordon’s voice, which

impressed him. It also surprised him that so many gay men
were in such open relationships. He wouldn’t have thought
that, considering the rural area. Maybe they were only open
about their relationship in front of other men they knew to
be gay.

The door opening caught his attention, the shaft of light

from the doorway illuminating the face of a short, blond
man. Drake couldn’t keep his brows from lifting as he
watched the man speak quietly with Grady. The blond had
short, spiky hair, obviously colored, and sported a lithe,
muscular frame. All in all, Drake would classify the man as
an incredibly cute twink. Of course, he’d never say that to
his host’s face. He may not be too good in social situations,
but he knew it wouldn’t be polite to say that for fear of
insult.

Seconds later, Grady gave a shout, drawing their

attention and motioning them forward. His arm still around
his brother, Drake encouraged Dagus forward while telling
him there were three steps. Once within the circle of light, he
got his first good look at one of his hosts, and there was no
mistaking the man’s sexuality. The man screamed gay from
every pore of his eye-linered and lip-glossed face. But he
pulled the look off well!

The man reached a hand out. Drake took it automatically

Charlie Richards

and returned the man’s surprisingly firm grip. “Hey. I’m
Lark. I understand you’ve had some trouble with Grady’s
scientists. Come on in and make yourself at home.”

“Thank you. This is my brother, Dagus. He’s blind, so if

you could show us to our rooms, I’d like to take a few
minutes to give him the layout. Then I’ll get our things and
settle him for the night.”

He wasn’t usually so forward, but he had to think of his

brother’s comfort.

Lark’s eyes widened slightly, before he motioned them

inside the lodge. “Of course. Look around. Take your time.
Count out steps if you need to. Whatever’s necessary.”

Drake nodded. “Thank you.” It surprised him that the

man seemed to understand his brother’s needs, but he didn’t
question it. He followed Lark through the house to a
staircase. He told his brother that there were sixteen stairs,
and then Lark pointed at the doors.

“The first door on the right is mine and Declan’s

daughter’s room, Sara. She’s a heavy sleeper, but please still
try to keep it down,” he murmured. “Your rooms are the
first and second on the left.” His blue eyes warmed as he
smiled at them. “Take your time deciding. I’ll have Grady
bring your things to the top of the stairs.” He pointed at
another door. “The second door on the right is a bathroom.
I’m afraid you’ll have to share it with Sara, but it’s the school
season, so she’ll be done with it by seven most mornings.
She has to be at school by eight-ten and Declan normally
drives her.” He patted Drake’s shoulder gently. “Take your
time. We’ll be in the front room. Just join us when you’re
ready, okay?”

Drake nodded, though he didn’t know why he agreed. It

was already after midnight, and all he really wanted to do
was go to sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, both he and Dagus wore sleep pants

Accepting His Animal

and t-shirts. Drake had explained the layout of the top floor,
stairway, kitchen, and dining room to his brother, and now
the other man slept, he hoped peacefully. Drake paused in
the doorway, verifying that his brother’s breaths came slow
and even, before he headed down toward the front room.

He stopped in the doorway, listening to a stranger’s Irish

lilt mutter, “Ah, love. Of course I won’t give them a hard
time. I only want to…”

He held his breath as the man stopped talking.
A soft murmur of voices he couldn’t make out sounded

before the Irish accented voice called, “Come in, Drake. I
know ye’re in the doorway, so ye’d best come into the
room.”

Hearing the amusement in the man’s voice did far more

to set Drake’s mind at ease than the man’s earlier words. He
stepped into the room and tried to hide his shock. Lark’s
small frame was curled up on the lap of a massive black
man, his skin far darker than Drake’s own brown skin. The
man’s broad shoulders and muscular arms held Lark close to
his chest. Drake wondered what that would feel like, to be
held, but he imagined lightly bronzed arms, honey-brown
eyes, and thick black hair.

Deep brown eyes pinned him in place for several long

seconds before a smile curved the African American’s lips.
“Come in, Drake. I won’t keep ye long. It’s late, and we all
should be to bed soon. I just wanted to introduce meself and
let ye know mine and Lark’s schedules.”

Drake nodded, easing into a large leather chair that

quickly swallowed his skinny frame. He curled his feet
under him and tried not to pick at a loose thread on his
pants. “Thank you for taking us in on such short notice,” he
murmured.

“Yer welcome. Now why don’t ye tell me how we can

make ye and Dagus’s stay more comfortable? Does yer

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brother have any special needs we should be aware of?”

Drake smiled slightly, pleased by the man’s surprising

consideration.

Accepting His Animal

Chapter Four

ilean turned his Audi A6 into the heavily wooded
driveway, his headlights bouncing as he carefully

navigated the potholes caused by last winter’s snow. He
managed to avoid most of them, remembering their location
after a BBQ he’d attended nearly three weeks ago.

It hadn’t been long after that that Lyle had been

kidnapped. He thought of his patient, still sleeping in the
hospital. He’d given him a mild sedative to keep him asleep
while healing, letting Todd know that it’d be at least three
days before he’d allow Lyle to wake. With all the chemicals
floating in the man’s blood, it’d be far easier for him to go
through detox while unconscious.

He felt for the small wolf shifter. He couldn’t imagine the

pain Todd went through, even though technically the man
hadn’t met Lyle yet. If Ailean had stumbled across Drake’s
prone form in the hospital, he’d do exactly as Todd did.
He’d camp out in his mate’s room until he woke. As it was,
that was pretty much exactly what he planned. Knowing his
mate was in danger, Ailean couldn’t stay away from him.

After parking the car, he grabbed his overnight bag and

hurried to the door. The bell wasn’t even halfway through
its chimes when someone pulled it open. He grimaced up at
Declan. “Hey,” he murmured. “How is he?”

The big man motioned him inside, not speaking until the

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door clicked shut behind Ailean. “Yer mate is fine,” Declan
assured. “They’re upstairs, the first and second door on the
left. I’m not sure which room Drake is in,” he admitted,
shrugging. “When I spoke to him, it’s not like I could ask
which room he’d put his brother in, aye?”

“His brother?” Ailean hadn’t known anyone else had

joined Drake at Declan’s home.

“Aye,” Declan replied, sounding amused. “Although I’ve

not met him, Lark told me that Drake’s brother, Dagus, is
upstairs as well. He’s a blind author, from what Drake says.”
The alpha gave him a cheeky grin. “Be careful when ye enter
a room, I wouldn’t want to have to slice ye open for hittin’
on Sara.”

Ailean chuckled softly, following Declan toward the

stairs. “Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to sniff the room before I
enter,” he assured. Sobering, he leveled an even stare at the
alpha wolf. “Thank you for taking in my mate. I know you
didn’t have to.”

Declan shook his head, rolling his eyes in the process.

“Ah, Ailean. Still ye don’t understand. Ye may not be pack,
but I still consider ye family. So if he’s yer mate, I’ll do
everything in me power to protect him.”

Nodding, he smiled warmly. “And for that I thank you.”
“What are friends for,” Declan stated, slapping him on the

shoulder.

The blow sent him forward a step, and he grunted in

amusement. “Fair enough.” He followed the big man’s
pointed finger and headed up the stairs, keeping his tread
light. He sniffed at the first door on the left, and although he
smelled his mate, he smelled someone else, too. A darker,
muskier scent than the light sweetness he recognized as
Drake. Moving on, he inhaled deeply at the second door and
nearly groaned. My mate smells so damn good! The idea that
every shifter probably felt that way about their mate made

Accepting His Animal

him grin.

He carefully slipped into the room, setting his bag down

on the floor near the foot of the bed. He allowed his eyes to
change to his cat, giving him nearly perfect vision in the
dark, and stared at Drake. His mate wore a white t-shirt that
contrasted sharply with his mocha skin. His dark hair was
cropped close to his scalp and Ailean barely resisted the
urge to rub his palm over it and feel if it was soft or rough.
Drake had kicked the covers off, displaying dark blue pants
and bare feet.

After changing into comfortable shorts and a t-shirt, he

settled into a chair to stop himself from crawling into bed
with his mate. He didn’t know how the other man would
react to that since they’d just met and didn’t want to scare
the human.

He must have dozed off, for he was startled awake by a

squeak and a whimper. Frowning, Ailean looked for the
source of the sound and realized his mate appeared to be in
the throes of a rather unpleasant dream. With everything
that had happened to the man in the last twelve hours, it
didn’t surprise him.

When Drake began to thrash, Ailean moved to the bed.

Sitting on the edge, he rested a hand on Drake’s arm and
gave him a gentle shake. “Wake up, little mate,” he crooned.
“It’s only a dream.”

Drake jerked from his grip, his eyes snapping open. He

glanced around the room in confusion for several seconds
before his focus returned to him. “Ailean? What are you
doing here?”

Ailean smiled at his confused mate. “Declan told me that

you and your brother were coming here for safety. I wanted
to make sure you were okay, so after my shift ended, I came
here.”

“But why?”

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He stretched out on the bed and propped his head on his

hand, pleased when Drake didn’t put any additional space
between them. Now how to explain to a human? “I like you,
Drake. Your well-being is important to me. I want to get to
know you better.”

“In the middle of the night?” he asked, cocking his head

in confusion.

Chuckling, Ailean eased his free hand up to Drake’s face

and cupped his jaw. “Well, I knew you wouldn’t be
available for lunch tomorrow, so I figured I’d just sleep here
and see you in the morning.” He leaned forward, noting the
hitch in his mate’s breathing as he slowly closed the distance
between them. “Waking up in the middle of the night was
just a bonus,” he whispered against Drake’s lips before
brushing them gently with his own.

Drake let out a soft whimper that heated Ailean’s blood.

The scent of his mate’s arousal spiked, and Ailean’s dick
became so hard so fast he groaned. He licked the seam of his
mate’s mouth, begging for entry. Drake granted it, opening
for him. Plunging his tongue inside, he tasted mint
toothpaste and the heady essence of Drake.

Using his hand to tilt Drake’s head, he deepened the kiss,

licking, nipping, and sucking, unable to get enough of his
mate’s taste. Ailean shifted closer, settling Drake back into
the pillows and half sprawled over the smaller man. He
inserted a knee in between Drake’s legs and pressed his
thigh against his mate’s straining erection.

Drake bucked against him. Ailean caught the strangled

cry erupting from his mate’s throat as he stiffened, then
began to tremble. Wet heat spread against Ailean’s thigh and
the salty scent of seed filled his senses. Shock rocked him as
he realized his mate had just come.

Ailean eased the kiss to an end and lifted his head to stare

down at his flushed, trembling mate. The blitzed out

Accepting His Animal

expression on Drake’s face was truly the sexiest thing he’d
ever seen. Suddenly, as if realizing what he’d just done,
Drake gasped, clamped his eyes shut and turned his head
away.

He tightened his grip on Drake’s neck, forcing him to turn

back to face him, but his mate kept his eyes tightly squeezed
shut. “Hey, now,” he murmured, placing a gentle kiss on
each of Drake’s eyes. He tasted the salty wetness of tears and
worry slammed into him. How could he have missed it?
He’d bet his home, his one and only sanctuary, that his mate
wasn’t just inexperienced, he must have no experience
whatsoever. He kissed Drake’s lips. “Look at me, little
mate,” he ordered softly. “There’s no need to be
embarrassed.”

“I’m so sorry,” Drake groaned out. “I didn’t mean to

come like that. It just felt so good. I’ve never…”

And there was his confirmation, and damn, if that just

didn’t set Ailean’s blood on fire. He’d be his mate’s first and
only. “Shush, Drake,” he whispered. “I love that you
respond like that to my touch,” he admitted.

That finally got Drake to open his eyes and stare

hesitantly up at him. “You do?”

He grinned down at him. “Hell, yeah, baby. You’re the

sexiest fucking man I’ve ever seen.”

Disbelief flashed over his mate’s features and he frowned.

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are,” Ailean countered. When he saw Drake

open his mouth, he frowned. “Don’t argue, little mate. I say
you are, so you are.” Before the man could come up with a
reply, Ailean continued. “Now, let’s get you out of these
pants. I know from experience that dried cum is anything
but comfortable.”

A fresh tint of red colored his mate’s cheeks and neck, and

Ailean knew that it wasn’t from pleasure this time. Ailean

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grinned. His little mate really was too adorable. Before
Drake could offer a protest, Ailean whipped his shirt over
his head and then slithered down the bed and worked his
mate’s pants down his hips and legs, tossing the pants onto
the floor.

He took in the white cream clumping the black pubic hair

and Drake’s semi-erect cock lying on his stomach, also
glistening with the evidence of his release. Drake’s hands
moved to cover himself, but Ailean grabbed his wrists and
pinned them to the bed on either side of his hips. “Oh, no,
little mate. None of that with me.”

Settling between his mate’s legs, he swiped his tongue

along Drake’s shaft, collecting as much semen as possible.
He hummed in appreciation at the salty taste and got to
work cleaning up his mate, enjoying the man’s gasps and
groans. By the time Ailean had finished, his mate’s cock once
again stood at attention. Grinning at his mate’s fantastic
recovery time, he quickly shimmied out of his own clothes
and crawled up Drake’s body. He settled his straining
erection against his human’s, sliding easily against each
other through his saliva.

Resting on his elbows, he looked down into Drake’s

dazed expression. “So sexy,” he murmured, thrusting his
hips, grinding them together.

Drake moaned and bucked against him, creating

wonderful friction that sent tingles of pleasure spreading
from Ailean’s dick, up his spine and down his legs.

“Never felt anything like this,” Drake whispered.
“It only gets better,” Ailean promised.
He reached down and wrapped one hand around both

their dicks, giving them a tight tunnel to push through as
they rutted against each other. Drake let out a ragged groan,
his head thrashing, his body almost vibrating beneath him. It
was the most erotic sight Ailean had ever seen and it almost

Accepting His Animal

made him come just watching his mate’s enjoyment.

Drake’s fingers dug into Ailean’s shoulders as he rocked

against him. He lowered his head and nibbled the sensitive
flesh behind one of the man’s ears. Feeling his mate’s body
tense beneath him, he turned his head and latched onto
Drake’s lips, swallowing the man’s cry of ecstasy as he came
apart beneath him. The smell and feel of Drake’s pulsing
shaft against his own pushed Ailean over the edge, and he
buried his face in the crook of Drake’s neck, fighting the
urge to sink his teeth into his mate. His body tensed as
tingles raced down his spine and out of his cock, stream after
stream of seed mixing with Drake’s.

When he managed to regain a semblance of his breathing,

he reached over the side of the bed and snagged his t-shirt.
He cleaned the cum from himself and Drake before settling
next to the nearly comatose man. Pulling his mate’s back to
his chest, Ailean spooned around him, a contented smile
curving his features as he followed Drake into sleep.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Five

rake slowly swam to wakefulness, snuggling into the
heat behind him and stretching his toes. Feeling the arm

tightening around his waist and the lips gently kissing the
back of his neck, he tensed. What the heck?

“Easy, little mate,” a sleep roughened voice murmured.
The voice triggered memories of the night before,

reminding him of how the man had made him come with
almost no stimulation. He remembered how it’d felt for the
handsome doctor’s tongue to scrape across his dick and balls
and a shiver worked down his spine. Renewed heat settled
in his groin, making his cock quickly fill. Oh, no!

A low chuckle sounded behind him and the arm around

his waist moved. A big hand stroked across his stomach to
toy with the tight curls surrounding his shaft. Drake mewled
as sparks shot down his legs, making his toes tingle. He
shifted restlessly, unable to keep still.

But then he felt the hard dick against his butt, and that

made him freeze. Ailean growled softly into his ear and
rubbed against him again. Suddenly, an arm snaked under
his side and around his chest. The one that had been playing
with his pubes gripped his hips, and he found himself being
rolled backwards to lie on top of Ailean, his back still to the
bigger man’s chest.

Ailean hooked his ankles and spread Drake’s legs before

Accepting His Animal

inserting his knees between his legs and pulling them even
further apart, making them fall over the outsides of Ailean’s
legs. A hard shaft bumped against his balls, before sliding
along the underside of his own, and he gasped.

“What are you doing?” he whispered. With his legs

splayed and lying on top of the man with his shaft pointing
straight into the air, he’d never felt more exposed.

“Just taking care of you, my little mate,” Ailean growled

into his neck.

He felt sharp teeth scrape over his collar bone, sending

tingles up and down his spine. The hand left his hip and
gripped both their shafts in a tight fist. It felt similar to last
night, except better, because now the other man’s dick
rubbed against his balls every time he moved. “Oh, Ailean,”
he groaned, pushing his butt down against the other man’s
pelvis.

“That’s it, Drake,” Ailean crooned. “Take what you

need.”

With one hand, Drake gripped the large arm around his

chest and then used the other to reach back and grab
Ailean’s hip. He planted his feet on either side of the man’s
thighs and began to grind as hard as he could down onto
Ailean’s cock, gasping when it slid between his cheeks and
the smooth flesh rubbed over his hole. Before he could
assimilate the sensations, Ailean bucked up and down
against him, sliding along his hole, balls, and shaft with each
stroke.

Drake’s head dropped back on Ailean’s shoulder, his

body instinctively pushing back against the other man. Heat
blossomed through his abdomen, chest, and thighs. His balls
pulled tight and tingles raced up and down his spine.
“Gonna…gonna…”

“Yes, little mate. Come for me.”
The words whispered against the back of his neck sent

Charlie Richards

shivers of air across the hairs there. His body couldn’t
handle any more stimulation and an explosive orgasm
wrenched through him. Wave after wave of cum exploded
from his cock, landing on his abs and chest, as his body
bucked spastically, and Drake opened his mouth in a silent
scream.

The shuddering of the body beneath him a moment later

told Drake that his lover had gotten off as well. Lover? Oh,
wow! I have a lover! He smiled and sighed, as a fresh wave of
happiness rolled over him.

“Mmmm.” Ailean nuzzled his neck gently. “Very nice.”
He had no way to respond to that. He’d never woken

with another before now, well, except for his brother when
they were younger and Dagus had had nightmares.

“Just relax, little mate,” the man holding him said as he

shifted Drake off his chest and to the side. Ailean rolled over
until he was draped over him and gazed down at him with a
pleased look on his face. “There are so many things I’d like
to teach you.” His smile turned speculative. “And I have so
many things to share with you.”

Before he could think of a suitable way to respond, his

stomach grumbled, reminding him that with all the
excitement last night, he hadn’t eaten since noon the day
before. Ailean chuckled. “Let’s enjoy a shower, and then
we’ll find something to eat.”

“Okay,” Drake whispered, finally finding his voice. He

started to rise, but then it occurred to him that he was naked,
and except for doctor visits, he’d never allowed anyone to
see him naked before. Well, again except his brother, but he
didn’t count because he couldn’t actually see him, right?

Ailean had no such hang-up. He rolled out of bed and

crossed to his bag, pulling out a smaller case before turning
to look at him. Drake sucked in a breath. It was no wonder
the man wasn’t shy! He had lickable bronze-covered abs,

Accepting His Animal

nicely toned arms, muscular legs, and a sexy-fine smattering
of chest hair that tapered down to a treasure trail extending
to his half-hard dick. He realized the man didn’t have a tan
line on him, so it was either natural or the man sunbathed in
the nude.

He finally managed to get his gaze to rise back to Ailean’s

face. He gasped at the heat and lust glowing in the bigger
man’s brown eyes. Ailean grinned. “You can’t look at me
like that and expect me not to act,” he growled, prowling
forward.

Drake squealed when Ailean ripped the blanket from his

grip and picked him up in his arms. “Relax, my mate,” the
man laughed. “We’ll just shower this morning. I’m hungry,
too.”

Ailean made sure the hall was empty, and seconds later,

Drake found himself showering with a man other than his
brother for the first time in his life. So many firsts with Ailean!
What else can I expect? It was a good thing he had mocha
skin, otherwise the blush burning just under the surface
would turn his face into a furnace. Fortunately, Ailean kept
the shower quick and utilitarian, even with the occasional
kiss as he cleaned him.

Ailean stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and

held it up for Drake. “Come on, baby,” he encouraged.

Drake screwed up his courage and stepped out from

behind the opaque glass. A pleased smile creased his lover’s
face. He knew Ailean must have realized his innocence last
night. How could he not? So the fact that he’d managed to
please the man, even a little, put a shy smile on Drake’s face.

“Ah, now that is a gorgeous sight,” Ailean murmured,

pulling Drake’s towel-wrapped form into his arms. Gently,
he sealed their lips together. When Ailean’s tongue slipped
out and brushed against his lips, Drake happily opened for
him. The man tasted of dark masculine flavors and

Charlie Richards

sensuality, if sensuality had a taste, Drake decided. Either
way, he couldn’t get enough.

He moaned softly, pressing his body against the other

man and wrapping his arms around Ailean’s neck. The
friction against the soft towel combined with the kissing had
his shaft quickly filling.

Ailean’s hands gripped Drake’s butt and squeezed gently.

The man plundered his mouth. There could be no other way
to say it. The growl surprised him almost as much as the
world spinning. Suddenly, Drake found himself sitting on
the sink, the towel thrust aside, and Ailean settled between
his legs.

“Oh, fuck, you are such a sexy little piece,” Ailean

groaned, pulling back for just a second to look down their
bodies. “I can’t get enough of your taste.”

The drops still clinging to Ailean plastered them together

and provided a bit of slickness for their aligned dicks.
“Ailean,” Drake moaned.

“Mmm, my name on your lips is the sweetest damn

sound,” he whispered against his lips. “I want to sink my
cock into you, little mate. I want to feel you squeeze me. I’ll
fill you so full of my seed you’ll know that you belong to
me.”

The man’s possessive words and actions sent a wave of

heady desire through Drake. Why the man wanted a skinny
geek like him, he didn’t know, but he planned to enjoy the
handsome man for as long as possible. He didn’t delude
himself into thinking that the man could fall in love with
him, but there was certainly plenty he could learn from him.

“Ah, you’re thinking too much, sweetie,” Ailean crooned.

“Don’t worry. When I take you, I’ll make certain you’re
more than ready.”

Drake’s gaze snapped to find Ailean staring at him with

quiet compassion, and he realized he should have said

Accepting His Animal

something. He lifted his hand to Ailean’s face, tracing the
man’s features. “I look forward to it,” he whispered.

Ailean smiled. “Good.” He carefully wrapped the towel

back around him. “Let’s get dressed, and we’ll head
downstairs. I’m ready for breakfast,” he murmured, pressing
another quick kiss to Drake’s lips.

He felt a bit disappointed, and Drake must have done

something to alert the man, but he wasn’t sure what. Ailean
cupped his cheek and smiled. “Soon, my little mate,” he
promised.

That contact alone made Drake want to shiver. He forced

the reaction back, instead nuzzling into the man’s palm for a
moment, impressed with how he could smell Ailean’s skin,
masculine and musky, even through the soap of the shower.
Breaking the contact, he slipped off the sink and peeked into
the hall before heading into the bedroom. He glanced over
his shoulder and said, “Come on. I’m starved, and I need to
make certain Dagus made it downstairs all right.”

Thoughts of his brother made him blush. What if Dagus

had heard them last night? He couldn’t remember if they’d
been quiet.

“Yes, I look forward to meeting your family. Is it just you

and your brother?” Ailean asked.

He wants to meet my family? Why? We’ve just met. Keeping

his focus on dressing, he replied, “No. I have a sister,
Doriah, who lives in Denver.” He saw the amusement light
the man’s eyes and blushed. “Yeah, my father had a thing
for D names. I never understood it,” he muttered. “Anyway,
my mother is in a nursing home in Denver. She suffers from
Alzheimer’s.” He paused, holding his shirt to his chest like a
shield as he thought of his mother. It had been six months
since he’d seen her between semesters, and she hadn’t
remembered him.

Arms wrapped his arms around him from behind, and he

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settled into Ailean’s comforting embrace as if they’d done it
a thousand times. “I’m sorry, little mate. I didn’t mean to
bring up a painful subject.”

Drake tilted his head, allowing his lover to nuzzle his

neck. “It is what it is. She’s so far gone now that she doesn’t
remember any of us. Doriah stays out of loyalty and because
her boyfriend is there.”

“Ah.”
They remained quiet, Ailean holding him for several

more minutes, until Drake’s stomach growled again. Ailean
chuckled. “Finish up,” he ordered gently, pressing one more
soft kiss to the side of Drake’s neck.

Drake bit back a sigh as he pulled his shirt over his head.

He could get used to Ailean’s affection way too quickly, and
that probably wasn’t a good thing. Pushing the
unproductive thoughts from his mind, he allowed Ailean to
lead him from the room. He paused in the hall, knocking
gently on Dagus’s door. When he didn’t receive an answer,
he opened the door several inches and poked his head in.
The room was empty.

Guilt swamped him. He should have been there to help

his brother instead of allowing a virtual stranger to— He
blushed. When had he become such a slut? Or was it just
because no one had ever expressed such an interest in him?
He decided it was neither. Ailean made him feel safe,
comfortable, and he was hot as Hades. Okay, so maybe a
combination of slut and the situation, he decided, giggling
internally.

Heading downstairs, Drake followed the enticing aromas

of food into the dining room. They found a cute, dark haired
girl seated at the table with Dagus, jabbering away at him as
they ate their breakfast. Drake eyed the spread of food on
the table, his mouth salivating as he took in the platters of
scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, biscuits, gravy, sausage,

Accepting His Animal

bacon, and toast. His stomach growled again.

Dagus cocked his head and held up a hand to silence the

girl. “Good morning, Drake. Glad you could join us.”

Drake blushed. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d

slept in until seven in the morning, and to not actually get
moving until seven-thirty? Well, he blamed it on the man
behind him.

“This is Sara McIntire, Declan and Lark’s daughter.”

Dagus smirked knowingly. “Who’s that with you?”

“I’m Ailean Carmichael,” the doctor stated, stepping

forward. “It’s good to meet you, Dagus.” He turned to the
small teenager. “And it’s good to see you again, Sara. You’re
not getting into too much mischief, I trust?”

“No, Doctor Carmichael,” she replied, smiling impishly.

“I’m too busy with school and training to get into trouble.”

Drake grabbed a plate and began filling it. “What are you

training for?” He thought her a bit young to have chosen a
career, but what did he know about kids?

“My dad is helping me smooth out my shift transitions,”

she replied.

Drake glanced at his brother whose lifted brow told him

Dagus didn’t understand any better than he did. Ailean
squeezed his shoulder and whispered, “I’ll explain later. It’s
one of many things I’d like the opportunity to talk to you
about.”

Sara’s eyes widened in dismay. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry,

Doctor Carmichael. They’re staying with us, so I didn’t
realize.”

Ailean tapped the girl’s hand with a forefinger. “Think

nothing of it, sweetie. It’s just something I haven’t explained
to my little mate yet.”

She bit her lip and nodded, returning her attention to her

food in silence. Drake admitted his curiosity was peaked,
but from the looks that passed between the two, he knew he

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wouldn’t get more information at the moment. He’d just
have to ask Ailean another time.

“Little mate?” Dagus whispered, leaning close to Drake.

“What does that mean?” He waited expectantly, munching
on a piece of bacon.

Drake wondered who’d helped his brother with the food,

and more guilt flooded him. It was his job to help Dagus.

“Little mate is a term of endearment I use for your

brother, Dagus,” Ailean answered the question for him. “I’m
your brother’s boyfriend.”

“Since when?” Dagus snapped incredulously. “How long

have you known my brother? When did you start dating?”

Dagus pinned his senses on Ailean, his dark brows drawn

into a frown. Drake shook his head and grabbed Dagus’s
hand. Drake may be the younger brother and worked hard
to care for Dagus due to his differences, but that didn’t mean
Dagus couldn’t go all protective on him, like now.

“We met yesterday,” he admitted.
“And he spent the night—”
“Can we discuss this another time, Dagus?” Drake asked

sharply, cutting his brother off. “Maybe when we’re alone?”

Dagus frowned. “Fine,” he snapped. “But don’t think this

is over.”

To Drake’s immense relief, Dagus quieted, refocusing on

his food. Drake did the same. He scooped heaps of eggs onto
his toast, relishing their fluffiness mixed with the crunch of
the buttered bread. The potatoes had just the right amount
of crispiness. And the bacon, oh how wonderful! He moaned
his appreciation.

Ailean chuckled, drawing Drake’s attention to the heat in

the bigger man’s eyes. He fought back another blush and
focused back on his plate. A rough finger traced his jaw,
bringing his head up to meet Ailean’s look. “Just when was
the last time you ate breakfast, hmm?”

Accepting His Animal

Drake shrugged. “I don’t know. I never have time.”
“Twenty-seven days,” Dagus said dryly. “And that was

only because you were sick and I made it for you and
insisted you eat it.”

Drake jerked away from Ailean to look at his brother.

“How do you remember that?”

Dagus smirked. “How do you remember those

formulas?”

“Huh,” Drake conceded. “I see your point.”
“Well, either way, we’ll have to do something to change

that,” Ailean cut in with a smile. “I’m a doctor, and I remind
you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

“Good luck,” Dagus snorted. “If it’s not related to a

cryptid or genetics, it’s not going to be a priority.”

“Hey! That’s not true,” Drake replied indignantly.
Ailean settled a hand on his thigh under the table. “Easy

now,” he all but purred into Drake’s ear. “No fighting at the
breakfast table. Later I want to hear all about your research,
but Detective Stryker will be here in fifteen minutes, so let’s
finish up, hmm?”

Declan walked into the room, stalling any more

conversation. “Good morning, gentlemen,” he said while
snagging a slice of bacon. “Are ye ready to go, Sara?”

“Almost, Papa,” she answered, pushing from the table

and taking her plate to the sink.

Charlie Richards

Chapter Six

ilean followed Drake and Grady out of the house. He
knew his mate felt guilty for leaving Dagus at a stranger’s,

but Lark had the morning off and promised to help him get
his computer and braille printer set up so he could spend
some time writing. Besides, there was little point taking the
brother with them when he could do little to help.

Guiding Drake to his Audi, Ailean settled him into the

seat and gave him a quick kiss before rounding to the
driver’s side. “We’ll lead the way,” he told Grady.

The big detective nodded. “The Fitzgerald building first, I

need to know where Drake picked up Lyle.”

He nodded, not liking the fact that his mate had to return

to that place one last time. He’d much rather keep Drake far
away from anyone with guns. Humans were so damn
fragile. Ailean climbed into his car and started it. He smiled
quickly at Drake, still struggling with the knowledge that
Fate saddled him with a human mate.

Sara had given him a fantastic opening to explain shifters

to the professor, but Ailean hadn’t been able to do it. He
didn’t know enough about the man yet. Trust didn’t come
easy to him, and no matter how much he was sexually
drawn to the man, he wasn’t ready to give it to Drake yet.

After receiving instructions to the area of Colin where the

business complex resided, they lapsed into a companionable

Accepting His Animal

silence. He rested his hand on Drake’s leg, enjoying the feel
of the muscles under his palm. Drake sighed and rested his
head against the headrest and stared out the window.

It took forty minutes, but eventually Drake snapped his

head up and looked around. “We’re close,” he whispered.

Ailean could scent the waves of tension and fear rolling

off his mate. He wanted to turn the vehicle around, take him
to his home, and tuck him away from anything dangerous.
But since he couldn’t, he said, “Easy, little mate. We only
need to stay a few minutes, just long enough to show Grady
where you found Lyle.”

Drake smiled, and the effect on Ailean’s cock was

immediate. It filled swiftly, pushing against the confines of
his slacks. Getting off with his mate had been nice, but it
didn’t ease the ache caused by his desire to actually claim
the man. He’d heard how some of the wolves had dated
their human mates before claiming them. Ailean hoped he
didn’t have to do that, because he didn’t know if he could be
patient.

“Here’s the turn,” Drake said, drawing his attention.
He turned the car onto a side street, checking the rearview

mirror to be sure the detective still followed. The tiger shifter
turned his truck behind them, following closely. “Which
one?” he asked, looking over the many office buildings.

“It’s that one.”
Nodding, his gaze swept over the structure his mate

pointed at for a few seconds. It looked like a standard,
modern office building with steel and glass construction.
Ailean turned his car into the parking lot across from it. At
Drake’s questioning look, he smiled grimly. “Sorry, little
mate. I don’t want you getting too close to them.”

Drake nodded. “Me neither.”
Grady parked next to them and climbed from his vehicle.

“This the place?” he asked, after they all stood together.

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“It’s that one,” Drake said, pointing. “That’s the building

where I meet my contractors and other scientists.”

Nodding, Grady surveyed the area, his hands on his hips.

“Well, considering the state you found him in, I can’t
imagine he came from very far.”

Ailean agreed. “What are you going to do?”
“Come back tonight with Carson.” He grinned coldly.

“He got back from Georgia yesterday, so we’ll see what we
can sniff out.”

“Who’s Carson,” Drake asked curiously.
Grady spared him a glance before refocusing on the

buildings around them. “A friend.”

“Another officer?”
Ailean chuckled. His little mate really was too curious for

his own good. He sobered and exchanged a glance with
Grady. He had to tell him something or his mate wouldn’t
stop asking questions. “Some of the authorities are
compromised,” Ailean revealed. “Not all of them can be
trusted, that’s why Lyle asked specifically for Grady, and
why Grady asked you to bring him to me. Carson is a
military trained friend who is helping us figure out how bad
the situation really is.”

Drake’s brows lifted, his pretty brown eyes rounding.

“What can I do to help?”

“Nothing,” Ailean replied quickly. “You’ve done enough.

The detective will take it from here.” He turned to Grady.
“Do you need anything more from us?” His mate’s scent
was driving him nuts. He needed to get the man alone.

Grady’s gaze snapped to his, and he smirked. “Not for

now. Where can I find Drake should I need to question him
later?”

“I’m scheduled at the hospital at three this afternoon. I’ll

take him back to Declan’s before then.” He hated the idea of
leaving his mate at the wolf’s house, but he didn’t want

Accepting His Animal

Drake to be alone in Colin City until he knew he was safe.

Nodding, Grady turned and headed to his truck. “Got it.

See you later.”

“Get in,” he said, opening the door for his mate.
“Where are we going?” Drake asked.
He grabbed Drake’s arm before he could climb into his

car and pulled him close. “My place,” Ailean whispered
before claiming his lips. He delved his tongue into Drake’s
mouth, licking his gums and tangling their tongues. His
mate’s mewls of pleasure and the way he pressed his body
close, as if trying to meld them together, enflamed Ailean’s
desire to a near fever pitch. When the need for air became
paramount, he broke the kiss and grinned at Drake. “To do a
little more of that.”

“Okay,” Drake panted.
The chuckle behind him had Ailean releasing Drake and

ushering him into his seat. After closing the door, he glared
over his shoulder at Grady. The man stood with his hands
on his hips, not looking at him, so Ailean rounded the car.
Before he opened the door, Grady called, “It’s nice to see you
this…happy.”

“I’ll be happy after I claim him,” he snapped back.
“There’s a lot to talk about first. He is human, after all.”

Grady finally turned his head and looked him in the eye.
“Do you think you can handle that?”

He growled in irritation. “Of course I can. He’s my mate.”
Grady’s eyes narrowed slightly and the man frowned. “I

hope so.”

When he turned away and climbed into his truck, Ailean

growled low in his throat. So what if he’d kept clear of any
long term entanglements with humans for nearly eighty
years. This was his mate. Of course he’d make it work.
Ailean opened the door and climbed into the car.

Drake looked at him. “Everything okay?” he asked.

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Forcing a smile, Ailean nodded. “Of course.” He leaned

over and gave Drake a quick peck. “Let’s get out of here.”

Another thirty minutes of driving, Ailean checking his

rearview mirror often during that time, and he pulled into
his home’s driveway, a single story, three-bedroom house
that Ailean used for his sanctuary. He hadn’t brought
anyone here since he’d moved in a year and a half ago.
Whenever he’d wanted sex, he used back rooms and hotels.
It seemed fitting that the first man he took to his bed was his
mate. His cock jerked at that thought.

Smiling, he led Drake into his home. Passing through the

living room, he glanced toward his kitchen. “Would you like
a drink or anything?”

Drake paused, looking uncertain. That’s when Ailean

noticed the tension in the man’s shoulders. “Hey,” he
murmured, wrapping his arms around his nervous mate.
“Let’s curl up and watch a movie, okay?” He motioned
toward the sofa. “Have a seat. I’ll grab us a couple of sodas.”

“Okay,” Drake muttered. “Diet, if you have it.”
Ailean chuckled. “I think you could use the calories, little

mate.”

Drake blushed, hunching his shoulders. “Food just isn’t

always a priority.”

Cupping Drake’s cheek, Ailean stared down at the man.

“I’m a doctor, and although I’d love to give you a physical,”
he added with a lascivious wink, “it wouldn’t take that to
figure out that you’re under weight.” Drake tried to pull
free, but Ailean wouldn’t let him get away. “I happen to
think you’re sexy just the way you are, Drake, but that’s not
going to stop me from wanting to make certain you’re
healthy.”

“You think I’m sexy?” Drake whispered, his big brown

eyes widening with hope.

“Oh, yeah,” Ailean assured. He pulled Drake into his

Accepting His Animal

arms, tucking his smaller frame close against him. He
nuzzled his face into the crook of Drake’s neck, inhaling his
mate’s sweet scent. So good! “I really like the way you smell.”

“It’s said that scent from pheromones is a key component

to attraction,” Drake whispered, tilting his head to give
Ailean more room.

“Huh,” he muttered, nibbling on Drake’s neck. He

wondered briefly if his mate had any idea how right he was.
Scent was how shifters determined their mate. And right
now, that’s all he cared about, getting inside his mate and
easing the ache in his dick. His cock pressed painfully
against his fly, and to his great pleasure, he felt his mate’s
tension ease as Drake melted against him.

Lifting his head slightly, he captured Drake’s lips, speared

his tongue between his lips, and delved deep inside his
mouth. Sweet heaven! He wanted to stay there forever. He
nipped the man’s lower lip, capturing it and tugging gently
as he pulled away.

He grinned at Drake’s dazed expression and dilated eyes.

Gripping one small ass cheek in each hand, Ailean lifted his
mate, encouraging Drake to wrap his legs around his hips.
Drake’s moan was music to his ears as their erections
pressed together in a delicious wave of painful sensation.

He walked to the couch and dropped down onto it,

keeping his mate firmly on his lap. His lips captured Drake’s
again as he slid a hand up the man’s body and underneath
his t-shirt. His palms traced over warm skin, almost burning
him with the intensity of his need.

Growling softly, Ailean pushed the man’s shirt off his

head, his breath catching as he took in the chocolate skin
he’d been able to touch only briefly in the shower that
morning. He leaned forward and his lips latched onto
Drake’s pert nipple. Drake gasped as he sucked the hard nub
into his mouth, his mate’s body arching in desire to press

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more skin into Ailean’s mouth.

“What…what happened to watching a movie?” Drake

gasped.

After several more hard sucks, he released Drake’s nipple.

“Did you want me to stop and put on a movie instead?” he
asked between gentle nips and licks as he made his way to
Drake’s other hard nub.

When Drake mewled and thrust out his chest in

frustration, Ailean chuckled. “That’s what I thought,” he
purred, before latching onto the other nipple. After several
seconds he let go and whispered, “I plan to make you feel so
good, little mate.” He just prayed he’d be able to last long
enough to please Drake first. He wanted his mate relaxed to
a near boneless state so he could sink his cock deep inside
him with as little pain as possible to the virgin human.

“Ailean,” Drake whimpered.
He smiled against Drake’s neck, loving the man’s thick

scent, wriggling body, and sexy noises. Gliding a hand
down Drake’s back, he slipped it beneath the man’s slacks
and cupped his skinny cheek, kneading it gently while he
took Drake’s lips in a hot kiss.

Gently, he dipped his middle finger into the man’s crack,

ghosting over his hole. To his surprise, Drake moaned and
pushed against him, questing for more contact. Ailean
slipped his finger into the man up to the first knuckle
relishing the tight heat and pressure that immediately
surrounded him. He couldn’t wait to get his cock in there.
He slowly started working his finger in and out of his mate,
loosening him, learning him, and giving Drake pleasure.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve had something in here, is

it?” He purred his question.

Drake’s reply came between panting breathes, and his

cheeks flamed. “No. I bought toys online.”

“I’ll want to see you play with them sometime.” And he

Accepting His Animal

meant it, too. Knowing his mate already knew how to
pleasure himself, this would be so much easier. Using his
other hand, he unbuttoned Drake’s cargo shorts and fished
out his mate’s dick. Drake’s slender rod already leaked
copiously, and Ailean used his thumb to spread the pre-cum
around the head.

“That…that feels…”
Ailean grinned against the flesh he worked. Unabashedly

pleased that he’d reduced his mate to incoherent,
fragmented thoughts. Drake rocked between his hands, and
Ailean made no move to stop him. His dark, slender fingers
dug into Ailean’s shoulders as he thrust into his fist only to
rock back and fuck himself on Ailean’s fingers.

Back and forth he moved. Ailean nibbled the pulse point

on Drake’s neck, fighting his instinct to allow his canines to
descend and sink them into that delicious skin. When
Drake’s hips stuttered, indicating his impending release,
Ailean released his cock, wrapped his arm around the man’s
back, and flipped them on the sofa.

Drake’s shout of surprise ended in a long groan as Ailean

swallowed his mate’s cock deep into his mouth. He sucked
hard, hollowing his cheeks, before plunging back down,
deep-throating Drake’s slender rod. Ailean’s throat muscles
worked Drake’s sensitive head, and he screamed right
before soaking his throat with streams of salty, creamy
goodness.

Ailean growled his pleasure as he continued to suck on

his mate’s pretty prick, extending Drake’s orgasm as he
grabbed the tube of lube from under the couch cushion.
Because he didn’t bring tricks home, he’d become
accustomed to using his hand when the mood struck. Now
he couldn’t be more grateful that he hadn’t bothered to
move to the bedroom the last time he’d jacked off.

As he lapped around his mate’s cock, making certain he

Charlie Richards

didn’t miss a drop of Drake’s tasty essence, he poured lube
onto his fingers and worked a third one into Drake’s ass. The
man’s back arched, his head tossed from side to side, and the
skin of his chest, neck, and face flushed. It was the most
fucking beautiful thing Ailean had ever seen.

“Oh, Ailean. Full…so full…” Drake whined. “More.

Need…need…”

Mine! All mine.
The drive to claim ratcheted up several notches and

Drake slid his fingers from his mate’s ass. Drake cried out in
frustration.

“Easy, little mate. I know what you need,” he crooned as

he scrambled to get out of his clothes. He heard buttons
skitter across the floor and fabric shred, but couldn’t care
less. Clothes he could replace.

He used the excess lube on his fingers to stroke his aching

cock, biting back a moan. He had to clench the base of his
dick in a painful grip to stave off his orgasm. He needed
inside his mate. Now!

Carefully, he reached for Drake and brought him to his

knees on the cushions, turning him to face the back of his
couch. Drake looked over his shoulder at him, confusion
clouding his big brown eyes. Ailean settled behind him and
kissed those plump lips. “It’ll be easier this way,” he
assured. “I don’t want to hurt you, my pretty mate.”

Drake smiled, warmth filling his gaze. He tensed slightly

as Ailean pressed the tip of his cock to his hole. Ailean
stroked Drake’s spine and purred, rubbing his cheek against
Drake’s. Drake immediately calmed, humming his
excitement as he tilted his hips in invitation. “I love that
sound,” Drake whispered.

“Oh?” Ailean grunted, pushing forward firmly so the

crown of his dick popped past Drake’s ring of protective
muscle.

Accepting His Animal

Drake gasped, and Ailean paused, letting his little human

get used to his invasion. “Yes,” Drake hissed out. “I don’t
know how you do it, but it’s so sexy!”

Ailean grinned. “I’ll tell you all about it later,” he

promised. “But if you can still think about it, I must not be
doing something right.” Bracing his hands on either side of
Drake’s on the back of the sofa, he thrust forward, sinking
his cock all the way into Drake’s tight ass in one, swift
stroke. Heat and pressure surrounded Ailean, but upon
hearing his mate’s strangled moan, he froze.

He lay over Drake’s back and nibbled the nape of Drake’s

neck, enjoying the springy brown curls making up his hair.
Ailean’s breath came in heavy pants as he waited for his
mate to adjust.

“Move. Oh, please move.”
He growled at the sweet, begging words spilling from

Drake’s mouth. Ailean withdrew almost all the way out
before thrusting forward again. He sank into his mate again
and again, loving the way Drake squirmed and rocked
against him, as if trying to suck Ailean into Drake’s body
through his ass and make them one.

His mate’s whimpered words cut through his lusty fog,

and he almost stopped, fearing he hurt him in his
exuberance. Then the words registered. “So good, so good,
so good,” Drake panted over and over again as he met
Ailean thrust for bone-jarring thrust.

Growling his delight, his canines descended and Ailean

struck. He bit deeply into the fleshy spot where Drake’s neck
met shoulder. Drake screamed and convulsed beneath him.
His ass muscles tightened into a near strangle-hold on
Ailean’s dick as the man came, and Drake’s tangy blood
flowed over his tongue. Wrapping his arms around Drake
tightly so not a hint of space was left between them, he
rocked his hips into the man twice more before his release

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overwhelmed him.

The bond with his mate locked into place as he spilled

into his mate. A sense of peace he hadn’t felt since a cub
swept through him. His hold on Drake loosened slightly as
his hands roamed the man’s slender chest, and he licked the
mark he’d left on his neck.

Drake moaned as his cock slipped from Drake’s body. He

purred, wrapped Drake in his arms, and carried him to his
bedroom. Ailean still had several hours before work and
planned to make the most of it by exploring his mate.

Accepting His Animal

Chapter Seven

he insistent ringing pulled Drake out of his sated doze. A
soft growl sounded in his ear and the arm around his

waist lifted as Ailean rolled away. Drake immediately
missed the heat of his lover’s embrace, but reveled in the
memories of just a few short hours ago when Ailean had
carried him to the bed and made sweet, slow love to him.
There could be no other way to describe the way the man
kissed and nibbled every inch of his body except worship.
And it had felt indescribable.

Ailean’s body settled back against him and lips pressed

against his spine. “I’m sorry, Drake,” he whispered. “There’s
an emergency with one of my patients. I need to go in early.”

“It’s okay. I’ll call a cab to take me to my place.” He hid

his disappointment, knowing he had plenty to do at home,
formulas to work with and DNA to research.

“No,” Ailean growled. “You’re not to go back there. It’s

not safe.”

“What?” He knew from the softening of the man’s

features, which usually signified amusement or concern in
most people, that he hadn’t kept the surprised squeak out of
his voice.

“They know where you live, little mate,” Ailean purred.
How on Earth did he do that?
“I don’t want anything to happen to you. I won’t allow

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you to be there until I know it’s safe.”

The unreadable look that fleetingly crossed the man’s face

made Drake think he wanted to add something, but stopped
himself. He wondered what it was. Having no way of
knowing, Drake nodded instead. “Okay. I should probably
get back to my brother.” He nibbled his lips as nervousness
flooded him before saying, “Do you have an extra car? Or do
you think cabs will travel all the way to Declan and Lark’s?
It seems a little far, but as I’ve never had to take a cab
anywhere before, I don’t really know.”

Ailean’s finger over his lips made him stop the flood of

words. Yeah, Drake knew he tended to ramble when
nervous.

“You’ll come with me to the hospital for now. I’ll call

Detective Stryker on the way over there, and he’ll take you
to Declan’s.” He pressed a quick kiss to Drake’s lips. “As
much as I’d like to linger in bed with you, I can’t.” Ailean
kissed him again before drawing away with a groan and
landing a stinging smack to Drake’s butt. “Get dressed.”

Drake froze in surprise at the unexpected smack. It sent

tingles over his skin, almost as nice as the bite that Ailean
had given him that morning. Drake would never have
thought he would enjoy biting, but he had to admit that he’d
loved every second of it. There had only been one second of
searing pain before absolute pleasure sluiced through his
bloodstream, centering in his dick and forcing the most
intense orgasm of his life from him. The memory had him
shuddering out a breath in anticipation of next time.

“If you don’t control yourself, I’m going to flip you on

your stomach and slam my cock into your ass,” Ailean
growled. His leaned over him and gave a hard nip to
Drake’s nipple. “And as wonderful as that sounds, I don’t
have time.”

After another kiss, this one slower and full of promise for

Accepting His Animal

later, Drake gathered the nerve to smile up at his lover.
“Then we’ll just have to keep this until later,” he whispered,
tracing a forefinger up Ailean’s scrub-covered, but obviously
hard cock.

“Yes,” Ailean grunted before he groaned and pulled

away. “Get up before I lose control of myself.”

Drake grinned at Ailean’s retreating backside. Wow! I’ve

never had this effect on anyone!

He jumped from the bed, still grinning from ear to ear as

he padded out to the living room and found his clothes.
Drake couldn’t believe how comfortable he felt with Ailean,
especially knowing the man watched his every move as he
poured them both a cup of coffee.

He pulled on his clothes and then went to the kitchen and

picked up the mug Ailean had poured for him. After taking
a sip, he crinkled his nose. “Sugar?”

Ailean’s brows lifted. “You didn’t add sugar at

breakfast,” he pointed out, though he still crossed to his
pantry and pulled out a jar.

“Thanks.” Drake added several teaspoons of sugar before

taking another sip. “Mmmm.” He grinned at Ailean’s
surprised look. “Part of early morning coffee’s waking
ability is its bitter, rather disgusting taste,” he admitted. “If
I’m going to enjoy it in the afternoon, it needs quite a bit of
sugar in it.”

Ailean chuckled, while herding him toward the door.

“Got it. I’ll remember that, little mate.” Once outside, he
opened his car door and helped him into the seat, being
careful not to spill the hot beverage. “Now, we need to get
moving.” Before shutting the door, Ailean gave him a quick
peck.

A contented smile curved Drake’s lips as he watched

Ailean hurry around the hood and climb into the car. It
didn’t take long to reach the hospital. Drake set the empty

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coffee cup onto the floorboard and followed Ailean into the
building. He fully expected to be told to stay in the waiting
room or at the very least, shown to a staff room. Instead,
Ailean had him follow him into his office, then his dressing
room, then along several corridors where a nurse met him.

“I’m so sorry to call you, but the chart said to contact you

about anything unusual with this patient,” she hurried to
explain. Her gaze flicked to Drake, but she didn’t say
anything about his presence while Ailean read the chart she
thrust under his nose.

Ailean hissed in irritation. “It’s Lyle,” he muttered by way

of explanation before he started down the hall in a ground
eating stride. Drake had to hurry to keep up. “Detective
Stryker will be here in a few minutes. Be sure to show him to
the patient’s room as soon as possible,” he ordered.

“Yes, Doctor,” the nurse said before hustling away.
Drake followed in silence while Ailean strode quickly

down several hallways. He stopped just inside the room,
surprised to find a muscular man sitting beside Lyle,
watching anxiously as Ailean inspected Lyle and the
monitors connected to him. The doctor didn’t seem the least
bit surprised, so must know the man. Ailean muttered under
his breath, his words too low for Drake to make out.

A few moments later, Detective Stryker ambled through

the door. The big man crossed to his partner’s bed and
frowned at Ailean. “What’s going on?”

“Hell if I know,” Lyle snarled, preparing to draw blood.

He froze, the needle poised inches over the patient’s flesh.
“What the fuck?”

“Is that a rash?” Grady asked.
“It appeared about an hour ago,” the other man told

them, wringing his hands as his gaze darted between them.
“It was about ten minutes after that the monitors went off.”

Drake eased closer, wondering what the men were staring

Accepting His Animal

at. He gasped, his eyes rounding as disbelief coursed
through him. “No!” he whispered. Regaining himself, he
rushed forward and ran his fingers over a dark green,
bumpy patch of skin on the inside of Lyle’s forearm.

“What are you doing?” Ailean snapped, snatching his

hand away from Lyle. “It could be contagious.”

“It’s not,” he assured, his gaze shifting between the angry

doctor and the concerned detective.

Grady recovered first. “What do you mean? Do you know

what this is?”

Fighting back the panic, Drake nodded. “I told them it

wasn’t safe for experiments yet. Why didn’t they listen to
me? And to do it on a human? Oh, God. I’m so sorry!”

Ailean dropped his hand as if burned and took a step

back. “You did this?”

“Calm down, Ailean,” Grady commanded. “We don’t

know anything yet.” He turned to Drake, his blue eyes hard.
“Now tell us what you mean. Who did you tell what?”

Running a shaky hand through his short hair, he tried to

catch Ailean’s eye, but his lover refused to look at him. “I
told you I was at the Fitzgerald building for a meeting. I was
contracted by Crystal Lake Corporation to break down a
DNA string they provided,” he admitted. “They told me
they thought it could be proof of the existence of the Ninki-
nanka. I teach molecular genetics at the college, but that was
my minor. I’m really a crypto zoologist, but I’ve been
blacklisted from any serious grants due to my last paper on
the chupacabra. If I could prove the existence of the Ninki-
nanka, it’d restore my reputation.”

Grady scowled, clearly unimpressed. “Okay, what the

hell’s a Ninki-nanka and what does that have to do with
this?” he asked, waving a hand at Lyle’s arm.

“The Ninki-nanka is a creature that supposedly lives in

the swamps of West Africa. It’s believed to be reclusive and

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very dangerous and those who see it often end up dead
within a few weeks. It’s what we call a cryptid, because we
don’t have any proof it really exists.” Before Grady could
interrupt with more questions, he hurried on, “When I broke
down the DNA, I realized it had both reptilian and human
components.” His gaze swept between the two men, but
they didn’t seem surprised. Okay, so they probably didn’t
understand the significance of that. “It means this creature
wasn’t either, and yet it was.” Still nothing came from either
man. “A changeling of some kind. A brand new species!”

Maybe they just didn’t believe him, because they still

didn’t react. Whatever. “Anyway, when I reported my
findings, they wanted to know if a serum could be created to
share this creature’s abilities with humans. I had been
working on that for two weeks, giving them regular reports,
when Lyle appeared.” He saw a closed, stormy expression
descend over Ailean’s face. The man growled low in his
throat and turned away. When Drake reached out and laid a
hand on the doctor’s arm, Ailean snarled at him and jerked
away. Drake yanked his hand back in shock. “I kept telling
them it wasn’t ready for trials, even on animals. I guess they
didn’t listen.” His voice trailed away.

Before the silence could lengthen for too long, Ailean met

Grady’s concerned gaze and growled. “Get him out of here.
Take him to Declan. I have work to do.”

“Are you coming by when you get off?” Grady asked,

sounding just a little too calm.

Ailean finally met Drake’s eyes, but he saw none of the

affection and desire that normally resided there. Instead, the
doctor stared at him with barely concealed loathing.

“No. I won’t be back.”
Pain like he’d never experienced ripped through Drake’s

chest, and he gasped. Ailean’s out of hand rejection
shouldn’t have hurt so much, since they’d only known each

Accepting His Animal

other a couple days, but for some reason it did.

“Ailean,” Grady growled. “Don’t make any rash

decisions.”

“I said get him out of here,” he all but roared.
Drake cringed away. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t

know.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Ailean snapped. “You humans are all

the same. Always looking out for number one. All you
thought about was your career. You probably didn’t even
think about how your findings would affect others.” He
turned his back on Drake, dismissing them both as he
stabbed Lyle with the needle and finished drawing blood.
Ignoring him, Ailean headed toward the door. “I’ll call you
when I figure out how to heal Lyle.”

For a second, he thought Ailean might be talking to him,

but then Grady sighed.

“Okay.”
Drake’s shoulders slumped as Grady’s big hands landed

on them.

“Come on, Drake. Let’s go.”
He allowed the detective to steer him out of the hospital.

Once in the man’s truck, Grady turned to him. “Give Ailean
time. He’ll come around.”

Staring morosely out the window, Drake shook his head.

“No, he won’t. He’s right. I didn’t think about how my
actions would affect others. What good could come of a
serum that gives humans reptilian traits? I mean really?”
Drake rubbed his temples, amazed at how naïve he could be.
Biting his lip, he muttered, “Besides, he got what he
wanted.” He huffed out an irritated sigh, his hands
clenching into fists. “I always warn my brother not to put
out on a first date, but did I follow my own advice?” he
snapped at himself. “Of course not. I am such a fool.”

To his surprise, Grady chuckled. “Yes, that’s good advice

Charlie Richards

under normal circumstances, but in this case, Ailean has just
had some tough experiences with humans. He really will
come around.”

The man sounded so certain, but why would he…Drake

frowned and looked at Grady, watching him steer the truck
for a few seconds before whispering, “What?”

“I said he’ll come around.”
“No,” Drake stated. “You said he’s had some tough

experiences with humans. And back in the room, Ailean
said, you humans are all the same. What are you guys
talking about?”

Grady glanced at him and frowned, but Drake wouldn’t

back down. He wanted to know what was going on.

Suddenly, Grady whipped the truck to the side of the

road and screeched to a halt. “Fucking hell!” he yelled. “He
mated with you and didn’t explain things to you?”

Drake straightened. “Mated? What do you mean? What

things?” His confusion began to cut through the strange
heartache plaguing him.

Growling under his breath, Grady slammed the truck into

gear and got them moving again. He yanked his phone out
and hit a button. “Declan,” he grunted into the phone.
“We’ve got a problem. Ailean mated Drake but he didn’t
explain…anything.”

He heard the frustration in the voice on the other end of

the phone, but couldn’t make out the words. Grady grunted
an acknowledgement then said, “We’re about fifteen
minutes out,” before snapping the phone shut.

They drove in silence for several minutes, Drake sneaking

glances at Grady. He could tell from the man’s tightly
clenched jaw and narrowed eyes that the man was upset. He
just couldn’t figure out why. Why would Ailean dumping me

make Grady so angry? It isn’t like it impacts him, right?

When it didn’t look like the detective was going to

Accepting His Animal

explain, Drake frowned, “Okay, what’s going on?”

Grady shook his head. “I’m sorry Ailean put you in this

situation,” he replied. “I never thought the doctor was that
selfish.”

Drake frowned, indignation stirring. “I’m sure he’s not

selfish. He has a lot going on, what with Lyle showing up
and then…” His words failed him, and he fought back a
sniffle. “I just met him,” he whispered. “Why do I miss him
so much?”

Sighing, Grady reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

“Just hang on for a few more minutes. Once we get to
Declan’s, we’ll explain everything.”

He nodded, his focus returning to the passing trees

outside the window. A niggling of concern ate at him. His
entire life was in upheaval and now the detective made it
sound like there was even more to deal with.

Part of him wished he could go back in time and never

take that contract. Then he’d never have gone to that
meeting the other night, never have been hijacked by Lyle,
and he’d never have met Ailean. But then Drake never
would have experienced the most amazing sensations while
in the man’s arms, either. Or the broken heart he had now,
and his heart was breaking, because somehow, in the course
of twenty-four hours, he’d fallen in love with the doctor.
And didn’t that just suck?

When he walked into the house, he heard Declan’s Irish

lilt growling from another room. “What do ye mean yer not
coming over after yer shift at the hospital ends tomorrow?
He’s yer mate, damn it! Ye can’t just…”

Drake’s steps faltered, the man’s words telling him

exactly who the Irishman spoke to, and he wrapped his arms
around his belly. A wash of bile rose up his throat and he
struggled to breathe. Why did he have to walk in right at

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this moment? Wasn’t hearing it from the man himself
enough? Now he had to overhear others talking about their
whirlwind affair, too?

“Come on,” Grady muttered gruffly and led the way into

the room where Drake could still hear Declan arguing with
Ailean.

He followed slowly and discovered a growling Declan

holding Lark, who was trying to soothe the big man. His
brother sat stiffly on one end of a leather couch. His head
cocked to the side and his shoulders tense as he listened to
the angry men around him. Drake hurried over to him and
settled next to him, rubbing his brother’s arm to reassure
Dagus of his presence.

He blushed when Dagus leaned toward him and sniffed,

realizing his brother, whose senses were heightened, could
probably smell that he’d had sex. Dagus grinned and
bumped shoulders. “It’s about damn time,” he whispered.

“I guess,” he muttered back.
“You didn’t like it?” His brother cocked his head,

obviously trying to gauge the tone of his responses. “Did he
hurt you?”

“I don’t understand why everyone is making more of it

than it is,” he hissed back. “It was just a short fling. Ailean
got what he wanted, and I finally figured out the allure of
sex.”

“The bite on yer neck says otherwise, Drake.”
Surprise shot through him, and he lifted a hand to the still

tender mark not quite covered by his shirt. “It’s okay. I…I
liked it,” he managed to admit, his gaze drifting from a
solemn Declan to the floor.

“Damn that shifter,” Declan growled. “I canna believe he

did this to ye without explaining what it meant.” He knew
the question was written all over his face, especially since
Grady had said something similar in the truck. “Look, this

Accepting His Animal

may be a little hard to accept, but Ailean biting ye is not to
be taken lightly.”

“At the hospital, you told me how different the DNA was

than anything else you’d ever seen, right?” Grady said,
drawing his attention. He stared in shock as the big man
began to slowly remove his shirt, his face so serious that
Drake didn’t know how to respond except to nod dumbly.
“Those men who hired you found out about something
we’ve successfully kept secret since the early third century.”
He grimaced, his shoulders lifting in a shrug. “Well, at least
until now.”

“What secret?” he asked. He wasn’t certain if he should

feel dread or expectation. Gripping Dagus’s hand tightly, he
leaned forward. “What’s going on?”

“There were human and reptilian components together

because it was DNA from a shape-shifter, Drake,” Grady
said solemnly. “Ailean is a shifter. So am I, and so is
Declan.”

His eyes widened and his body tensed for several long

seconds, before he shook his head, his blood chilling. “I
know Ailean is your friend, but you don’t need to
compound the humiliation of him dumping me by making
fun of my work, too.” He rose, pulling Dagus up after him.
“We’ll pack our things and go, thanks.”

He started to turn away, when he heard Declan say,

“We’re not playing with ye, Drake. We figured ye’d need
proof, being a scientist and all. Allow us to prove it.”

That peaked his curiosity, and he paused. “Okay. Prove

it,” he challenged. Did these men really believe they could shape
shift?

He watched with interest as Grady stripped the rest of his

clothes and dropped to the ground. At any other time, he
probably would have taken time to admire the impressive
lines of muscle on the big man, but as soon as the detective’s

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knees hit the floor, fur grew from his back. Orange and
white stripes appeared, a tail sprouted, limbs shifted and
popped, and his head contorted to accommodate a mouthful
of incredibly sharp teeth. The change only took maybe ten
seconds, but when all was said and done, a massive tiger
sprawled across the hardwood floor.

“Oh my goodness,” he whispered, right before his eyes

rolled into the back of his head and the world tilted.

Accepting His Animal

Chapter Eight

rake? Are you awake?”

His brother’s voice cut through the fog as he

struggled to focus. “Yeah,” he grunted. His throat felt like
sandpaper and his head pounded. “What happened?”

“You fainted.” That was Lark’s voice.
Drake forced one eye open and stared at the slender

blond’s concerned face.

“Here. Drink this.”
Dagus’s hands slid under his shoulders, helping him to a

half-sitting position as Lark pressed a pill to his hand and
then helped him take a swig of orange juice to wash it down.
After he’d swallowed the pill, he sighed. “What was that,
Doc?”

Lark smiled. “Just a little something to help you relax.

They really should have prepared you a little better.
Watching someone shift for the first time is really quite
shocking.”

“I can’t believe I fainted,” Drake groaned. Could he be

any more wussy?

“Hey,” Lark whispered, regaining his attention. The

understanding look on the man’s face didn’t really reassure
him. “My first time, I was at a BBQ. Most of the people there
were wolf shifters, although I didn’t know that at the time. I
saw several kids shift a couple times while playing.” He

“D

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grinned ruefully, admitting, “I had a full blown panic attack.
It took my friends, Rainy and Cliff, several days to calm me
down. Imagine my shock to realize the guys I played poker
with every month were really wolves!”

“So not all of them are tigers?” Drake asked, still having a

hard time wrapping his mind around this turn of events.
“And Grady really turned into one?”

Dagus nodded, patting his shoulder awkwardly. “After

you passed out, I started to freak a bit. They ended up letting
me pet him, so I could understand what had happened.”

“Sorry about that,” Drake muttered, renewed

embarrassment creeping over him. “Where are they now?”

“We figured you’d need a couple minutes with just the

humans when you woke,” Lark smiled. “They really are no
different than us, other than the animal thing. They are fully
aware while in their animal form, and they’re not controlled
by the cycle of the moon. They’re just another species that
have been living right alongside humans, keeping their
abilities secret.”

“Why? People are smart. They could handle it,” Dagus

said almost belligerently.

Drake knew how he felt. This kind of cover up was huge!
Lark shook his head. “A person is smart. But people are

not, get a few of them together and they turn into sheep.
Stupid, panicky, and quick to judge and cast the first stone at
anything different,” he pointed out. “Shifters need their
secrecy to remain safe. Otherwise they run into problems
with humans like your employer. Humans who want to do
experiments on shifters for their own gain.”

Drake thought about that for a moment. It really did

make sense. His own research and contract with the Crystal
Lake Corporation was proof enough of that. There was still
one thing that didn’t make sense to him. “Okay, so these
guys are shifters. What does that have to do with me and

Accepting His Animal

Ailean? They act like it’s such a big deal that he dumped
me.”

“He dumped you?” Dagus growled. “Why?”
“It’s not like I didn’t expect it,” he said. Sitting up, he ran

a hand over his brother’s arm to let him know where he was.
“After all, I’m not much to look at. I’m short, skinny, and
nerdy. He probably pegged me for a virgin and wanted to
see if he could pop my cherry.” Okay, normally he’d never
speak this frankly, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. The
whole episode still felt surreal.

“That’s not why he did it,” Grady snarled, stalking back

into the room followed closely by Declan. “Didn’t you think
it odd that he immediately started calling you little mate?”

Seeing the obviously irritated big man, once again in

human form, Drake had to take a long deep breath to relax.
Then he shrugged. He really had no answer for the man.
He’d been too overwhelmed that Ailean seemed to like him.

“It’s because ye are his mate,” Declan told him. “Shifters

get one true mate, hand-picked by Fate. That person will
complete us. Be our perfect balance. Ye are that person for
Ailean. He recognized ye immediately by yer scent.” After a
heartbeat, and a glance at the other men in the room, Declan
added bluntly, “By biting ye during sex, he bound the two of
ye together. Shifters live longer than humans, so by
entwining yer life forces, yer life will be extended to match
his.”

Drake’s breathing sped up the more Declan spoke until he

could barely pant. Dark spots danced across his vision. The
one man who was supposed to want him had rejected him.
Was he really that unlovable?

Sensing his distress, Lark gripped the back of his neck

and forced his head between his knees. “Take slow, deep
breaths, Drake. Just breathe,” he instructed.

He followed the small doctor’s advice, closing his eyes

Charlie Richards

and forcing his brain to shut down for a few precious
seconds as he calmed down. He felt a presence in front of
him and looked up to see Declan crouching in front of him.
“He should not have done that without explaining what he
is and how being a shifter’s mate would affect ye, Drake.”
The man glanced over his shoulder at Grady, as if
confirming that he should say his next words. When his gaze
returned to Drake, Declan’s gray eyes had turned flat.
“There is no way to break the bond, but in time, since ye’re a
human ye will be able to move on. Ailean, on the other
hand, has sealed his fate with his actions.”

A fresh wave of uselessness swept over him. “Why

wouldn’t a shifter want his mate?” he whispered the
question, uncertain if he really wanted to know the answer.
Sensing his distress, Dagus wrapped an arm around his
shoulders and brought him into a tight embrace.

Declan sat back on his heels and sighed. “Ailean has some

issues that he needs to work through. He’s been hurt by
humans. Although I don’t know all the details, I can tell ye
that he was an orphan. Human parents adopted him.”

“Oh, gosh,” Drake whispered, his heart beating hard as

he guessed where this was going. “Did they kick him out
when they learned he was a shifter?”

“No. It would have been far better if they had,” Declan

replied grimly. “They thought he was possessed and tried to
have priests exorcise the demons. They caged him.
Eventually he escaped, but the damage was done. The
humans who were supposed to care for him did the
opposite. He’s trusted few people, human or shifter, since
then.”

Drake pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms

around them, fighting back a shudder. Longing filled him, a
burning desire to care for the man, but he knew he’d never
be able to. Ailean wouldn’t allow it. Tears threatened at the

Accepting His Animal

corners of his eyes. “I created those formulas that hurt
someone else held captive. He thinks I’m the same as his
parents,” he realized sadly.

“He’ll come around,” Grady said, but from the looks that

passed between the other men, he knew none of them were
really certain if that was the case.

Sighing, he shoved the fruitless speculation away,

unfolded from the couch, and crossed his arms. Locking his
gaze on Lark, he asked, “Can you get me some of Lyle’s
blood?”

Lark shrugged. “Probably. Why?”
“Because I created this problem,” he held up a hand,

stopping the other’s words of denial. “It may have been
indirectly, but my research allowed those scientists to
experiment on Lyle. I have a lab set up in an apartment I
rent under Dagus’s name. If I get some of Lyle’s blood, I may
be able to find a way to help the poor man.” Besides, he
needed something to occupy his time while his heart
mourned.

* * * *

Ailean growled in frustration, running both hands through
his hair. Nothing worked. He’d tried everything he could
think of to isolate the chemicals causing the changes to
Lyle’s DNA. He could see how it was changed and could
monitor the speed of change. He could even anticipate what
would change next and ways to delay it, but he couldn’t
figure out how to reverse it or stop it! And if he didn’t figure
that out soon, Lyle would die. His body wouldn’t be able to
handle the stress and everything would shut down, one
organ at a time.

“How’s it going?”
Ailean spun his chair around and found Grady standing

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in the doorway. He didn’t need to wonder how the sneaky
cat managed to move around the hospital undetected. There
was a reason he made such a great special ops soldier before
becoming a detective. “Not good,” he said, rising and
heading toward the coffee machine near the door.

As he drew closer, he caught his mate’s scent clinging to

Grady’s own and his hackles lifted. He couldn’t contain a
soft growl as he froze and stared at the man. It had been four
days since he’d seen or spoken to his mate. And it had been
hell, even with the distraction of trying to help Lyle.

At the worst times, memories of Drake distracted him.

He’d remember the way Drake’s firm flesh felt pressed
against his, how it felt to hold him in his lap, to kiss him, to
open him up to take his cock, the tight squeeze of his mate’s
ass around him. That last one always left him hard, wanting,
and frustrated.

His shoulder leaning against the doorframe, his arms

crossed over his chest, Grady frowned. “You could just
apologize. Fate only knows why, but Drake likes you. He’d
take you back.”

Ailean snarled at the man, stalking forward to get that

coffee. “He’s just like the rest.”

“You don’t know that,” Grady countered. “He was doing

a job he’d been hired to do. Why don’t you give him a
chance? Get to know him?”

“I know exactly what I’ll find if I get to know him,” he

sneered, letting his fears of getting hurt echo through his
voice loud and clear. “A human who puts his own wants
and desires ahead of everything and everyone else. Do you
know what he said to me?” His heart in his throat, he
couldn’t stop his hand from trembling as he thought about
the words that had haunted him every waking moment.
Without waiting for Grady to reply, he plowed ahead, “He
said pheromones were mostly responsible for attraction.

Accepting His Animal

Then I find out he’s a scientist for the very fucking company
we are trying to stop. How do I even know he’s my mate?
What if it was all a trick?”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it. You can’t fake a

mate attraction!” Grady countered.

“We don’t know that,” Ailean shot back, although in his

heart he knew the tiger was right. A shifter’s animal couldn’t
be fooled, even if a human’s nose could.

Grady heaved a sigh and stared at the ceiling, from the

tension in his neck and arms he was probably trying to rein
in his desire to do something physical to Ailean, like ring his
neck. “Look,” he said, his voice quieting. “Declan told Drake
a little about your past. Not a lot,” Grady added, holding up
a hand. “Just enough to explain why it would take you some
time to come to terms with how Drake was involved.” When
he didn’t respond right away, Grady stepped forward and
settled a hand on his shoulder. “Relax. He didn’t say
anything about what went on in the attic.”

Ailean’s eyes flew wide for a second before narrowing

into slits. He shook off Grady’s hand and glared at the
bigger cat. “But he evidently said something to you. So
much for trusting a friend to keep a secret.”

“No, he didn’t,” Grady growled back. “When I heard

another shifter was moving into the area, I checked out your
past.”

“You son-of-a-bitch! You had no right!” He trembled with

a mixture of rage and humiliation. “And you can tell Declan
thank you for allowing me to live in his territory, but it’s
probably best if I moved on again.” Saying the words sent a
stab of despair through him, but he kept his feelings
carefully masked.

“Fuck! You are such an asshole!”
Ailean snarled at the big detective. “I never claimed to be

anything else!”

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“But you are a shifter,” Grady reminded him coldly. “We

don’t dump our mates just because they make a mistake. He
did research for the wrong people. So the hell what!”

“Get out,” he roared. The man’s words pricked at his

already bruised ego and extremely guilty conscience. He
knew he should have allowed Drake to explain, and now he
didn’t know how to bridge the gap.

Grady’s lip curled in disgust. “Fine. I’ll leave. For now.”

Instead of walking away, the detective crowded close. “But
know this, your mate is working around the clock to fix his
mistake. I don’t think he’s slept a full hour in the last three
days.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “What are you doing to
correct your shortcomings?”

Before Ailean could get past the fact that his mate wasn’t

taking care of himself and formulate an answer, Grady
snarled at him again, truly exasperated, and left. The
Styrofoam cup in Ailean’s hand popped from his too-tight
grip, but the nearly scalding coffee running over his hand
remained unnoticed. His mate wasn’t sleeping? What about
eating? Drake didn’t have any extra weight to lose. If he
wasn’t eating, how could he gain weight?

His heart raced, his blood pounded in his veins, and his

guilt quadrupled.

Accepting His Animal

Chapter Nine

rake’s pulse rate increased exponentially the closer he
got to the hospital.

“Hey, relax, dude,” the man driving the car said.
He looked over at Phillip, trying to spot the resemblance

to his much smaller brother, Todd, whom he’d learned was
the man, shifter, standing vigil over Lyle. Drake didn’t see it.
“I can’t help it,” he replied. “What if—”

“He’s not there,” Phillip assured. “My brother said his

shift ended at ten this morning. We’ll go in, you’ll do your
thing, and then we’ll see what happens.” He reached over
and gripped Drake’s shoulder in a supportive man-squeeze.
“Lark told me a little about how Ailean freaked when he
found out you worked for that corporation, but Ailean’s not
that bad a guy. He’s had some time to chill, so even if we did
see him, I’m sure he wouldn’t kick you out again. Just relax.”

Nodding, he forced himself to take a deep breath, and

then a second one. “Okay. Yeah.” Drake still didn’t feel
ready to reenter the hospital he’d been kicked out of six days
ago, nor was he ready to face the owner of said domain. He
didn’t think he’d ever be able to face Ailean again, who gave
him the most pleasurable and the then the most painful
experiences of his life, all within a span of four hours.

Drake fought back a sob. This was why he focused on

work and didn’t get involved with people. The possibility of

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getting hurt was too high. He didn’t know how his brother
managed to do it. And then to find out the guy was
supposed to be a jaguar shifter and Drake was his mate, and
still Ailean didn’t want him. This time the sob escaped.

“Easy now,” Phillip muttered, sparing him a concerned

look. He grimaced. “Sorry, Drake, but you gotta hold it
together a little longer. Lyle’s life may depend on it.”

Nodding, he started deep breathing again. He felt

reasonably calm by the time they reached the hospital and
Phillip parked the car. He climbed out and followed the wolf
shifter into the building, down several halls, up an elevator,
and into a room. Drake felt amazed at the ease with which
the man chatted and flirted with just about every nurse he
passed. He’d never been at ease with others like that. Give
him his microscope, vials, and test tubes any day.

They found Todd dozing in his chair by the detective’s

bed. The guy jerked awake, rubbing a hand over his face for
a second, before smiling up at them. “How is he?” Phillip
asked, crossing to his brother and giving him a hug.

“The doctor has him sedated.”
Drake crossed to the blinking monitors and cocked his

head. “Do either of you know how these work?” The
brothers shook their heads, and Drake turned back to the
machines, slowly figuring out what the different numbers
and beeps meant. “I need his heart rate a little higher for this
to really be effective.”

“How are we going to do that?” Todd asked.
“Higher heart rate, huh?” Phillip chuckled, his eyes

twinkling mischievously. “Oh, come on. He’s your mate. I’m
pretty sure you can get his heart rate up, even asleep.”

Todd stared at his brother for a long moment. “You’ve got

to be kidding.”

Drake glanced between the two men, not comprehending.

“How are you going to get his heart rate up?”

Accepting His Animal

Phillip smirked. “You’re an exhibitionist, Todd. We both

know it, but if you want, we’ll turn around and watch the
monitors.”

Understanding dawned, making Drake’s face flame. Was

he really… He watched in shock as Todd huffed irritably
and then lifted the blankets to crawl under them. Drake
heard him mutter about how this was so not how he’d
imagined his first time giving his mate a blowjob would be
before he disappeared under the blankets and settled into an
unrecognizable, slow moving lump near Lyle’s groin.

It didn’t take long to see results. The heart rate machine

began to beep just as it hit the specs Drake needed. As he
inserted the drugs he’d concocted into the plunger, he
glanced down and blushed. Lyle’s face was flushed. His
mouth had dropped open as he panted, soft moans coming
from his throat.

“Don’t get too close,” Phillip whispered, wrapping an

arm around Drake’s waist and pulling him away. “My
brother doesn’t mind people watching, but he’s still a
shifter.” He grinned when Drake looked at him with a
confused frown. “We’re territorial,” he whispered, leaning
close.

“Oh,” he muttered. Maybe being territorial was a wolf

thing.

Suddenly, Lyle grunted in satisfaction and the smell of

cum filled Drake’s nose. To his surprise, his cock took an
interest, thickening in his jeans. Phillip chuckled, shifting his
grip to his shoulder and squeezing to get his attention.

“How long until you know if it works?” he asked, an

amused smirk covering his face.

He had to blink several times to focus. Before he could

answer, a low growl sounded from the doorway.

“What the fuck is going on in here?”
Drake shrank back from a snarling Ailean. The man’s

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blazing eyes were glued to the hand Phillip still had on his
shoulder. His nostrils flared as he took in the scents filling
the room. With barely controlled aggression, Ailean closed
the door and turned back to them. From the corner of his
eye, Drake saw Todd slide out from under the blanket.

“What are you doing?” Ailean snarled.
Frustration sparked through Drake’s veins. He knew it

was childish, but he stamped his foot. “I know I screwed up
by giving those guys my research, but how was I supposed
to know that they’d do something like this with it?” he
screamed, pointing at Lyle’s prone form. “I’m trying to fix
what they did.”

When all Ailean did was glare at Drake, the bigger man’s

chest heaving and his eyes glowing in what Drake could
only call disgust, his shoulders slumped. It didn’t matter
what he said. His past was too big an obstacle for Ailean to
accept. He shouldn’t have allowed himself to hope.

Phillip wrapped an arm around Drake’s shoulders and

began to steer him toward the door. The dark-haired wolf
whispered words Drake didn’t understand, his brain having
frozen in his head. A loud roar echoed through the small
room and a heavy body slammed into the pair, separating
them.

Drake landed in a heap, his momentum making him slide

across the floor to stop against the machines. Loud growling
and snarling reached his ears. Crawling along the floor, he
reached the foot of the bed and peeked around the side. A
gasp escaped his throat. A large black cat crouched over
Phillip’s prone form, his lips peeled back, exposing long
fangs as he growled.

He eased to his knees, his eyes rounding in shock. That

had to be his mate in jaguar form, but why did he shift?
“Ailean?” he whispered.

For a second, the big, black cat stopped snarling and

Accepting His Animal

turned his head toward Drake. He tensed when familiar
honey-brown eyes focused on him, but a movement caught
the shifter’s attention and he began to growl again. Drake
realized Todd must be over there, too.

He didn’t know what to do, how to help his friends. He

needed help. Slipping his phone from his pocket, he hit five
on his speed dial.

“Hey, Drake,” Declan’s deep voice sounded through the

device. “Did yer formula work?”

“I have no idea,” he whispered. “I’m in the room now,

and Ailean is here. He wasn’t supposed to be on duty right
now. And he got super angry, probably cause Todd had to
give Lyle a blow job to raise his pulse to where the formula
would work,” he continued urgently, his eyes still fixed on
the big cat on the other side of the room.

“Whoa, whoa, Drake,” the alpha’s voice cut through his

ramblings. “Slow down. What’s going on with Ailean?”

“He turned into a jaguar, and he’s holding Phillip and

Todd captive.”

His words met with a long pause, and at first he didn’t

think the alpha believed him. “Declan?”

“Answer me this, Drake,” Declan commanded, which had

Drake nodding, even though the other man couldn’t see it.
“Was either of them touching ye in any way when Ailean
walked into the room?”

Drake frowned. “Well, sure. Ailean started yelling and I

yelled back. When he just glared at me, Phillip tried to coax
me out of the room,” he admitted.

“Ah, then there’s yer problem.”
He couldn’t feel more confused. “What?”
“An unmated male tried to steal his mate.”
“But he doesn’t want me,” Drake denied.
“Aye, he does, Drake,” Declan assured. “He just has some

baggage. Ye need to get between him and the others. Coax

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him back to human form.”

He could feel himself going pale. Get between them? Did

Declan seriously expect him to approach the cat? “But…but
he’s a cat.”

Declan sighed into the phone. “Ailean is still himself,

even in his cat form. He’s just running on instinct right now.
Instinct that says to keep his mate from single shifters who
may try to steal him.” He must have let out a squeak of
protest because Declan added, “He does still want ye, Drake.
But his human senses are warring with his shifter instincts.
Don’t let him do something he’ll regret. He won’t hurt you,”
Declan assured. “Ye’re his mate.”

Drake glared at his phone. “Not all hurt is physical,” he

muttered before putting the device back to his ear.

“I know,” Declan replied as if he’d spoken directly into

the piece.

He gritted his teeth when he realized the man’s sensitive

shifter hearing had allowed him to understand his muttered
words.

“I told ye why the man has issues with humans.

Just…have faith in the mating link.”

“Okay.” Holding back a sigh, Drake snapped the phone

shut and slowly rose to a crouch. He wasn’t a brave man, so
couldn’t figure out why he followed the alpha’s advice.
Maybe it was because he liked the doctor too much to let
him do something stupid. And he certainly didn’t want
Ailean to get caught like this in a hospital full of humans.
What a disaster that would be!

All too soon, he found himself within a foot of the large

cat. He forced in a slow, deep breath and whispered,
“Ailean. Mate? You need to let the wolf go.”

His words got the animal’s attention. Drake could tell by

the way the jaguar’s body tensed. He could see the animal
eye him as he cocked his head to look at him with one big

Accepting His Animal

brown eye, then the cat sidled sideways, pressing his body
against Drake and pinning him to the wall.

“You two need to get out of here,” Drake whispered. He

reached out tentatively and stroked his hands down Ailean’s
side. “Now. Make certain no one comes in,” he added.

The animal pushed into his hands and purred loudly. He

rubbed the animal’s side again, his mind practically reeling
in shock at how Ailean’s cat reacted to his touch.

Phillip lifted his head and eyed him. “Thought you’d

left,” the man whispered.

The words hadn’t finished leaving Phillip’s throat before

the cat’s gaze snapped to the man. “Easy,” Drake crooned,
his hands moving to the cat’s back, stroking the soft hair.
“You have me, Ailean,” he whispered. “You don’t need
them.”

To his relief, the cat backed a step and pressed its body

against him again. Phillip took Todd’s hand and led his
brother slowly past the wary jaguar. It didn’t escape Drake’s
notice that the shifter kept himself between Drake and the
leaving brothers.

Phillip paused at the door. “You’ll be okay?”
Drake nodded, hoping he would be, but he kept his fears

off his face. Phillip gave him a long look, but then nodded
and slipped out the door, closing it firmly behind him. As
soon as the man left, Ailean gave him a hard shove with his
big head and Drake found himself flat on his back on the
floor. He peered up into the black feline face as the jaguar
crouched over him. For several seconds, his heart tripped in
his throat. Then the cat rubbed his head against him and
purred. Drake realized after several seconds that Ailean’s cat
was marking him with his scent.

He brought his hands up and ran them over his shifter’s

face, head, and chest, stroking the fur within reach. It felt so
bizarre to be able to touch a wild cat like this, but then he

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remembered this wasn’t really a wild cat, and Ailean was
horribly heavy.

“Hey,” he whispered. “I’m having trouble breathing. Do

you think you can get off?”

Suddenly, the fur receded, and bare skin slid under his

stroking fingers. “Sorry, so sorry, Drake. I’m so sorry.”
Kisses from human lips scraped along Drake’s jaw and neck.
The weight lifted slightly as Ailean levered himself onto one
arm, while burying that hand into Drake’s hair to hold him
still. The other hand slid down to his hip, squeezing and
stroking. “Please, please, please,” Ailean crooned, nibbling
and sucking. “Please forgive me. I didn’t mean it. Missed
you so much.”

Drake brought his hands up and cupped Ailean’s face,

forcing him to stop the kisses and nibbles that were quickly
making him forget where he was and what events had led to
this. His breath caught as he stared into Ailean’s eyes. The
glowing need and tormented pain reflecting in them
touched something deep inside Drake’s soul.

“I do forgive you, Ailean,” he said softly, “but we still

have many things to discuss.”

A smile lit up the shifter’s face. “Thank you, thank you,”

he whispered, pecking soft kisses on Drake’s lips between
words. “We’ll talk. I promise.” Drake slid his hands into
Ailean’s hair and tilted his head, asking for a deeper kiss.
Ailean groaned as he accommodated him, thrusting his
tongue deep inside Drake’s mouth.

Drake sighed at the invasion, surprised at how much he’d

missed the man’s taste. Was that a mate thing, too? Would
the craving to touch and be touched by this man ever ease?
What if after their talk Ailean changed his mind again?

Uncertainty made Drake hesitate, and Ailean groaned.
“Promise. Promise we’ll work it out,” Drake whispered

timidly. “Promise you won’t reject me again.”

Accepting His Animal

Ailean nibbled along his jaw to his ear, first tugging the

lobe and then sucking at the sensitive skin behind it. “Yes,
little mate,” he breathed. “Promise to fix this. Promise to be
together. But need. First need.”

His broken sentences didn’t make sense to Drake until

Ailean ground his stiff, naked cock into Drake’s jean-clad
erection. His body jerked as sparks shot through his
strangled dick. “Oh!” he groaned. “Yes!”

His mate must have taken that as acquiescence, because

seconds later his pants were opened and dragged from his
unresisting body, his socks and sneakers with it, then his
shirt was whipped over his head. He hissed in shock as bare
skin hit cold floor.

He didn’t have time to get used to it. Ailean hauled him

into his arms, as easily as if he were a child, and Drake
found his legs wrapping around the shifter’s waist. The hard
cock that slid against his own, already wet from oozing pre-
cum, told Drake how on edge Ailean already was. The man
managed to continue rocking them together as he walked
across the room, but he was too busy sucking up a mark on
Ailean’s neck to care where they were going. Last time, the
man had marked him, and he hadn’t had the chance to
reciprocate. He wasn’t going to miss this opportunity to do
just that.

Seconds later, rough cotton settled against his backside as

Ailean set him on a towel spread across the bathroom
counter. Drake settled his elbows under him as he watched
Ailean use the wall dispenser to pour a liberal amount of
lotion into his hand. He reached between Drake’s legs, but
he stopped a hairsbreadth away from Drake’s taint and
mewled a needy request. Drake propped his heels on the
counter and tried to get closer to Ailean’s digits.

A glance up at Ailean’s face showed the man’s relief as he

stared down at Drake. The shifter’s features clearly showed

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his relief at the way Drake accepted their impending
coupling. As he leaned over him and claimed Drake’s lips
again, this time in a slow, sweet, exploratory kiss, he pushed
a well-lotioned finger into Drake’s hole.

Drake didn’t bother trying to hold back the groan as

Ailean’s finger pressed deep and was quickly joined by a
second. The stretching invasion felt so good. After knowing
what sex with Ailean felt like, he’d missed it so badly. His
cock jerked against his stomach, smearing pre-cum over his
abs, as the shifter rubbed his prostate.

“Yes, oh yes, Ailean. Right there,” he whispered. His

body rocked on those fingers while Ailean pleasured him
with his hand. Ailean licked and nibbled his lips, catching
his panting gasps in his own mouth. “More,” he moaned.
Ailean didn’t question him, just gave him another finger. His
other hand rested on his hip as he helped him rock, helped
him wring as much sensation out of those thrusting digits as
he could.

He felt his orgasm building, felt the tension pull his balls

tight. His head dropped back on his shoulders, breaking the
kiss. Instantly, wet heat enveloped his cock as Ailean sucked
him deep. It was too much, and not enough, but when
Ailean’s teeth scraped gently against the throbbing vein
running the underside of his dick as he sucked harshly,
Drake lost it.

He couldn’t even warn the man, he just exploded, his

mouth open in a silent scream. Streams of his spunk flooded
his mate’s mouth. Ailean hummed happily as he sucked it
down, sending vibrations down his cock which made one
more stream burst out of him.

Drake felt the fingers slide from him, stroking across his

prostate one more time, sending a sharp buzz through him.
Ailean released his cock and rose over him. “Need you,
mate,” Ailean whispered, the tip of his wet cock bumping

Accepting His Animal

Drake’s suddenly too empty hole.

“Make me yours again,” he answered immediately.
A soft growl erupted from Ailean’s throat as he thrust

inside in one long, swift stroke. Buried balls deep, Ailean
froze, his body shivering as he allowed the burn in Drake’s
rectum to ease, for which Drake felt grateful. Ailean gazed
down at him, his brown eyes full of warmth and awe as he
stroked fingers over every inch of exposed skin, as if Ailean
needed to learn Drake all over again.

After several minutes, Drake tried to rock against the man

seated deep inside him, desperate to feel that thick cock
rubbing the walls of his rectum. Ailean’s soft touches had his
cock full and aching again. When Drake moved, Ailean
shifted to hold him tightly, as if he feared he’d disappear,
wrapping one arm under Drake’s back to grip his shoulder.
The other hand moved to Drake’s hip, locking their bodies
together.

Ailean purred softly as he began to move, his cock sliding

nearly all the way out before pushing slowly back in. Drake
could feel every ridge, every vein as he impaled Drake on
his dick again and again. Drake’s cock leaked a steady
stream of pre-cum as Ailean pressed closer still, trapping it
between them, giving pressure and friction to his sensitive
flesh with each stroke.

It took a second to break through his lust-clouded brain,

but finally Drake realized Ailean whispered something
against his neck with each stroke. “Mine, mine, mine.”

Drake grinned, knowing the separation had affected

Ailean just as strongly. “Yours,” he whispered back. “Your
mate.”

Ailean groaned his pleasure and his body went tense for a

second before his hips jerked, his cock buried deep. Drake
felt the shifter’s prick expand right before hot cum sprayed
his inner walls. Ailean bit gently on a tendon in Drake’s

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neck, not hard enough to break skin, but it was enough, and
Drake fell over the edge again.

Accepting His Animal

Chapter Ten

lowly, his ragged breathing began to level out, and the
post orgasmic haze cleared. His first thought was, why the

hell did I think I could live without this man? The next, shit! Is
Drake okay? He snapped up his head, searching his mate for
signs of discomfort or pain. Instead, his mate smiled faintly
from where he lay on the counter, still impaled on Ailean’s
softening dick.

“My mate,” Ailean whispered, tracing Drake’s face in awe

as he stared down at him. My mate came back to me. Drake’s
forgiven me. He’s let me claim him again. “Not that I’m not
grateful that you showed up, but why are you here?”

When he’d walked into the room and spotted the wolf

shifter with his hands on his mate and the scent of cum in
the air, Ailean’s ears had buzzed with rage, and he hadn’t
been able to understand a word any of them had said. When
Phillip tried to take Drake from the room, he’d lost control of
his jaguar instincts, his only desire to reclaim his mate and
fix what his damn human half had broken.

Drake’s brow crinkled as he said, “I told you. I came to

help Lyle.”

“Really?” The word came out a grunt as he pulled his

now soft cock out of his mate’s body.

His mate’s breathing hitched, and he squirmed slightly

and gasped when he pulled free. “Yeah. It just made sense

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that since I created the problem that I fix it. I think I got it
right, too.”

He frowned at Drake as he soaked a towel and cleaned

them both up. “What do you mean?”

“I found a way to help him,” Drake insisted. “I’ll know

for sure in another…” he glanced at the watch on his wrist.
“Two minutes.”

“Shit, seriously? Come on,” he said, helping his mate to

his feet and hurrying into the outer room. He grabbed the
remains of his clothes from the floor and held them up.
“Damn,” he muttered. His shirt was a complete loss. “This is
why we shouldn’t shift in clothes,” he told Drake ruefully.
“Fortunately, the pants are still wearable, but if I run into
anyone I’ll have some explaining to do.”

He watched Drake pull on his clothes, hiding all that

tempting mocha skin from view. Drake shook his head. “I’m
still in shock that you guys can…” His voice stopped as he
shrugged and waved his hand toward where Ailean had
held the wolves captive.

Ailean crossed to Drake and wrapped his arms around

him. Burying his nose in Drake’s neck, he drank in his scent,
relieved to discover no fear. “I’m sorry you didn’t learn
about it from me. I just couldn’t seem to—” He stopped,
uncertain how to get his concerns into words.

Drake gently stroked his back. “I understand,” he

whispered.

Letting out a sigh, Ailean trailed kisses down Drake’s jaw

until he captured the human’s lips in a thorough ravishing.
“My mate,” he whispered when they separated, putting all
his emotions he couldn’t voice into those two words.

Drake’s kiss swollen lips grinned at him.
A knock on the door drew his attention and Ailean

reluctantly released his mate. Heading that way, he inhaled
deeply and caught several wolf scents. After pulling on the

Accepting His Animal

shredded pants, he cracked the door open and let in Declan,
Lark, Phillip, and Todd. Declan smirked and handed him a
pair of jeans and t-shirt. “Thought ye might need these after
I got that call from Drake.” He sniffed the air and grinned.
“Glad ye got it all worked out.”

Seeing Drake’s blushing cheeks, he pulled the man into

his arms, tucked him close, and nuzzled his cheek. He felt
the man relax against him and smiled. His gaze fell on
Phillip. “Sorry about that, dude.”

Phillip shook his head. “No apology necessary. Someone

should have told me he was your mate.”

His brows shot up as he caught a guilty look cross Lark’s

face. Ailean chuckled, “You little shit,” he hissed. “You set
us up. You knew if an unmated wolf was touching my
mate…”

Lark shrugged, suddenly no longer repentant. “Yup. I

knew you’d go ballistic.” He lifted a haughty brow.
“Someone needed to give you a swift kick in the ass.”

He let out a soft laugh, which immediately stopped when

Drake pulled away from him. He turned to see him lift
Lyle’s arms, worry filling him when he heard a squeal, until
Ailean realized it was a good sound. He wrapped his arms
around Drake from behind, unable and unwilling to stop
touching his mate for long, and watched over his shoulder.
Amazement filled him as he watched the scales recede. In
less than a moment, flawless skin covered Lyle’s arm.

“You did it, little mate,” he crooned. “How did you cure

him?”

He felt his mate stiffen and pull away. From his worried

face, Ailean wondered what he’d said. “It’s not really a
cure,” Drake whispered.

Shaking his head, he frowned. “I don’t understand. The

scales are gone.”

“Yeah, yeah, kind of,” he said, his body still tense.

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Wanting to ease his mate’s tension, he wrapped his mate

in his arms and refused to let him go. “Tell me what has you
so upset, little mate,” he purred.

Drake remained silent for a moment, and then he sighed.

“I don’t want to lose you again,” he murmured.

The words sent a stab of pain through Ailean’s heart.

He’d put this fear, this doubt, into his mate. Taking a deep
breath, he promised, “Whatever it is, I promise we can work
through it together. I learned my lesson, little mate.” He
cupped Drake’s face and tilted his head up so he could stare
into the dark chocolate eyes he loved so much. “The last
week has been hell for me,” he admitted. “I don’t want to
live without you.”

Giving a brief nod, Drake said, “It took me four days to

realize I couldn’t stop the changes. Whatever they gave him
was tearing Lyle apart from the inside out. I gave him an
additive instead.”

“What’s that mean?” Todd whispered, his hand clutching

his mate’s unconscious fingers.

“It means I gave him something to smooth out the

transition. After a couple more doses, his body will accept
the changes.” He stared around the group.

Ailean felt his tension return. Ailean stroked his spine,

soothing Drake’s nerves.

“When the transformation is complete, he’ll be a shifter,”

he whispered quietly.

“My God,” Lark’s shocked murmur pretty much summed

it up for everyone.

“Well,” Declan whispered. “He’ll have a lot to learn then,

won’t he?” The alpha’s gaze landed on Todd. “Good thing
he’ll have his mate there to help him, aye?” He looked at
Drake and lifted a brow. “What kind of shifter will he be?”

Drake shook his head. “I don’t know. From looking at the

DNA, my closest guess would be a crocodile or alligator.”

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100

“Closest guess?” Ailean crooned into Drake’s ear, making

certain his tone was soothing and not accusatory.

Shrugging, he mate craned his neck to look at him. “I

couldn’t match it to any known species. What kind of reptile
shifters are there?”

He lifted a brow at Declan, who shrugged. “Snake,”

Ailean said. “Other than that…oh, wait. I’ve heard of
komodo dragon shifters, but not in the northern
hemisphere.”

“Where do you get all this information from?” Lark asked

curiously.

Ailean shook his head. “I’ve traveled a long time, Lark.

I’ve seen a lot of places.” Before anyone could ask any more
questions, he pecked a quick kiss on Drake’s lips and held
up the clothes. “I’m going to step into the bathroom to
change, and then we need to go. I’m really not on shift right
now. I was in the lab when Lyle’s buzzers went off. We can
get out of here as soon as I get dressed.” He gave him
another quick kiss before disappearing into the bathroom.

When he stepped out, he found Grady had joined the

group. Catching his attention, he said, “You need to find a
new place to keep Lyle. If he’s going to turn into a shifter, he
needs a safe environment to learn control.”

Declan nodded and exchanged looks with Grady. “Me

home would probably be best. If something happens, he has
plenty of woods to run in and no one would be around to
see.”

Taking Drake’s hand he nodded. “Let me know when,

and I’ll make certain the paperwork is in order. No one will
ever know he’s been here,” he promised. After the others
expressed their thanks, he took Drake’s hand and pulled him
close. “Let’s go. We have things to discuss.”

Ailean led Drake into his house and an intense feeling of

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101

déjà vu flooded him. Instead of offering him a drink, he led
him directly to the living room. After turning on some soft
jazz, he settled onto his couch and beckoned Drake to him.
He wrapped his small mate in his arms and pulled him
close.

Kissing Drake’s temple, he whispered. “I’m proud of

you.”

“What for?” he asked curiously.
“Instead of focusing on how to remove whatever those

guys shot Lyle up with, like I did, you focused on saving
him. His life will be forever changed, but he’ll still have a
life.”

Drake smiled and turned in his embrace. He wrapped his

arms around Ailean’s waist and settled his head on his
shoulder. “I’m sorry my research hurt your friend.”

“You didn’t know,” Ailean murmured. “I should have

realized that right off. I just…damn.” He shook his head and
ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he relived the
memories that had flooded him in those moments.

His mate’s hand rubbed up and down his chest, his touch

soothing him as nothing else could. “I hope this doesn’t
make you mad,” he started tentatively, “but Declan told me
about how you were adopted by humans.”

He grimaced. “Grady said he mentioned it. What else did

he tell you?” he asked softly.

“That when you shifted as a teen, they thought you were

the devil. They tried to exorcise the demons inside you,” he
murmured, continuing to rub, soothing even as his words
made Ailean flinch. “I’m sorry that happened to you. No one
should have to live through that.”

“Did Declan tell you how they tried to exorcise the

demons?”

Ailean barely managed to whisper the question, and

when Drake didn’t answer right away, he wondered if the

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102

other man had heard. Finally, Drake shook his head. “No,
but if you’d like to talk about it, I’d be happy to listen.”

Frowning, he looked down into his mate’s warm,

reassuring look. “Why would I do that?”

“Because sometimes it helps to talk about it in order to let

it go,” Drake replied, smiling gently. “My brother is blind.
Sometimes he gets frustrated. It always seems to help him
clear his head to talk about it.”

Cupping his mate’s face, he kissed him gently. “Okay,” he

whispered. As soon as he said the word, something in him
eased. He knew, of all the people who’d understand, who
wouldn’t hold it against him, his mate would be that person.
“They would chain me to a cross in the attic and whip me
with a belt as a priest prayed, but because I’m a shifter, I
healed overnight.” He grimaced. “That, of course, proved to
them that their treatments didn’t work. They moved on to
cutting next, and eventually to burning.” He shivered at the
memory of the pain. He’d tried so hard to put it in his past,
and yet it still affected his future.

“How did you get away?”
“Other shifters caught wind of it. They helped me escape,

taught me how to control my shift. They introduced me to
other jaguar shifters, but as soon as they found out I was
black in my shifted form, they ostracized me.” Tucking his
face into Drake’s neck, he inhaled deeply, using the man’s
scent to calm his racing pulse.

“How long have you been on your own?”
“I’m ninety-two years old. I’ve been on my own for over

seventy years,” he admitted.

Drake lifted a hand and traced a finger over his brow.

“You’re not alone now. You know that, right?”

“I do,” Ailean whispered, turning his head to kiss Drake’s

fingers. He glanced around his living room and then
refocused on his mate. “You know, I’ve lived here for over a

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103

year and in all that time, I’ve never invited anyone into my
home. Even Declan and Grady haven’t been here.”

“Why not?” Drake whispered, nuzzling his cheek against

Ailean’s.

Ailean smiled. It felt far better than he ever expected it

would to share these things with another, almost as if it was
no longer his burden to bear all alone. “I don’t really know,”
he muttered, getting distracted by the tingles his mate’s
nearness caused. “I guess I’m not very social.” He drew back
and grinned. “I’m kind of an asshole,” he admitted.

Drake chuckled. “Yeah, I caught that already. I’m anti-

social, but my brother’s not.”

He watched his mate frown. “What is it, my little mate?”
“After my father died six years ago, and we had to move

my mother to the nursing home, my brother moved in with
me.”

Drake looked away, nibbling his lip, and Ailean

understood. “I see. You’re worried about how that will affect
us?” Drake gave a sharp nod and Ailean pulled him tight to
his chest. “This place has three bedrooms. Plenty of room for
all of us.”

“Really? You want us to move in already? You hardly

know us!”

He grinned down at his surprised mate. “Well, shifters

kinda do things quick. It doesn’t take long for us to love our
mates, especially when their hearts are as kind as yours.” He
ended his sentence with a slow, sensual kiss, expressing all
his affection through action.

“You love me?” Drake gasped, when Ailean finally lifted

his lips.

Ailean smiled. “I do. I do love you, Drake. It tore me apart

to be separated from you, and I never want that again.” And
he would do whatever it took to make certain they remained
together, because he refused to suffer the agony of the last

Accepting His Animal

104

week again. Drake was his mate, and his place was with
him.

“Me neither,” Drake admitted after staring at him for

several seconds, probably to judge his sincerity. “I love you,
too.”

Relief and love filled him to the brim, calming his nerves,

letting Ailean know that this was right. He cupped his
mate’s jaw and gave him a gentle kiss, savoring his mate’s
taste. “Then we can work out the details after I make love to
you,” he whispered.

He watched a slow smile curve Drake’s sensual lips,

Ailean’s heart beating faster at the heat in his mate’s gaze.
“Count on it.”

About the Author

Charlie lives on a mini ranchette in Utah with her handsome,
supportive husband. She started writing fantasy when she
was eight, and after stumbling onto her first erotic romance
at nineteen, she realized her true calling. She now focuses on
writing erotic romance, often of the paranormal variety, with
heroes and heroines of all kinds. You can often find her
curled up with her laptop and a cup of tea or glass of wine,
creating her next story, which could pair a sexy hero with an
adventurous heroine…or maybe with another handsome
hero. Charlie enjoys horseback riding, jump lessons with
Apache, watching movies with her husband, and listening to
her muse tell her about her next project.

She can be reached at ch.richards2010@yahoo.com
Or visit her at www.charlie-richards.com