Gage Ivanov is a stupid beast. He let the woman who should be his mate go because she couldn’t be told of his Other identity. Now Elena’s back, but she refuses to give in to his demands for her to be his mate. Does he have his claws in her for good? Or is she just yanking his tail?

Alpha Wolf Rising by Eliza Gayle 

Before she can become Alpha, Sierra must take a wolf mate. However, she’s in love with two men, one of whom is strictly forbidden. When the pack is attacked and a temperamental stranger from the past threatens to send them spiraling apart, she must choose between love and duty.

London Howl by Hildie McQueen 

London Howl International settings, a super hot wolf shifter and off the charts chemistry make this a sizzling read. British celebrity model David Wolfe seems to have everything. However, money and fame cannot take the place of love.  When highly recognizable international model David Wolfe hires Genise Snow to be his fake girlfriend, the last thing she expects is for the relationship with the yummy wolf shifter to become physical. Then there’s his ever-present, possessive manager who makes it no secret, Genise’s presence if very temporary.

Dragon’s Honor by Mina Carter

Misson: Protection duty. No one said anything about black magic or the most powerful magic of all. The call to mate…

Bearly Hanging On by Marina Maddix

It may be against the rules, but when a hot eagle shifter lands at an exclusive resort, one employee really wants to ruffle his feathers. What’s a curvy kitty to do?

Her Shifter Secret by Flora Dare

She’s a witch trying to forget the past. He’s a shifter who never wants to forget. But if they don’t worry about their future…they won’t have one.

Maria & the Angel by Jordan K. Rose 

If pack law requires every wolf to mate and mating an outsider is forbidden, why has fate bound Maria’s heart to an angel?

Mate for a Month by Georgette St. Clair

Spoiled city girl Eileen Pennyroyal will do anything to seal a business deal that will win her father’s approval…but does that include a mating of convenience to a deeply damaged wolf shifter? Can Eileen convince semi-feral Marcus that he’s worth saving, before dark forces from his past come back to claim him for good?

Werewolf Wedding by Lynn Red

 Delilah is barely keeping her head above water. Jake is the reluctant alpha of a secretive pack of werewolves whose brother is gunning to take over the pack. When their worlds collide, will they survive? Or will they end up bait before there can be a werewolf wedding?

Fast & the Furriest by Celia Kyle 

One headline changed weretiger life forever: Ladies, like a tiger’s stripes? Tug his tail and keep him forever! Now Ares has a town of stripe-hunting women looking for a tiger’s tail to pull and… a full moon on the horizon.

Excerpts

Walk on the Striped Side by Jessie Lane 

Much  to  her horror,  Elena  felt tiny  pinpricks  in the  corners  of

her  eyes  as they  started  to water up. “Why are you doing this, Gage?

What do you want from me?”

He studied her a moment, watching her so intently that she felt

naked from the inside out. “You.”

“Me?” she squeaked back.

“You,” he answered again with an unwavering gaze.

Trying to bolster her courage  back up, Elena  snapped, “I’ m  not an

item  you pick up  at the store or  a  whore to  be  bought off  the  street.

You  can’ t  just go  dragging  me around  where  you want me, snarling ‘ mine’

whenever you feel like! I’ m a human being, Gage; you can’t own me!”

She  expected  the ornery  tiger  to get  mad  and snarl  at  her,

instead  he  did something  much worse. One side of

his lips curled up in smug satisfaction, and the bastard smirked at her.

“I  may  no longer  live  in a  time  period where  one  person

can  actually  own another  person, but  make no  mistake,  love,

I  do  own you.  Every  little inch.  Every  breathy moan  you  give

me when I’ m playing with your pretty pussy. Every hungry kiss you give

me when I’ m buried deep inside you. Every beat of that stubborn heart that you

swear doesn’t still love me, and every inch of that fierce soul of yours…

They all belong to one person. Me.”

Alpha Wolf Rising by Eliza Gayle

The distant drumbeat vibrated through Sierra’s body until

her core pulsed with need. Anticipation for tonight’s events had been building

all day. Standing naked at the window and staring up at the moonless night sky,

she couldn’t believe she was actually going through with the ceremony. Her

attempt to leave the pack for a normal life at college not long ago had ended

miserably and landed her back home and under the protection of her father.

It had been the ultimate turning point for her. What had

once seemed stifling and restrictive had been the very thing that freed her

from the inner turmoil that had plagued her since her mother’s death. The inner

wolf would not be denied and pack rituals were the very thing that kept the

animal happy so that their human halves could function cohesively.

“You look stunning.”

The deep baritone voice jerked Sierra from her thoughts.

“Marek, you aren’t supposed to be here.” She grabbed her heavy cloak from the

bed and slid her arms into the sleeves.

“I can’t help myself, and you know it.” He crossed the room

and gathered her in his arms. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered into her ear.

“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since we last fucked.

How can you miss me already?” She laughed, looking up at him. Damn, he should

not look this good right now. Nor feel this comforting wrapped around her. It

had been almost a year since she’d taken him as an official lover, and she didn’t

think she’d ever tire of seeing him. Dark broody eyes tempted her with a

constant look of barely restrained heat and aggressiveness. He called to her

alpha wolf—challenged her.

“Have I ever told you how much I love your dirty mouth?” His

lips pressed against hers, and heat flared to life between her legs, tightening

her nipples.

“Yeah, I know what you like about my mouth, all right.” She

bit at his lip, drawing a drop of blood.

A low growl sounded in Marek’s throat, which made her grin

against his mouth. If they kept this up, they’d definitely be on the floor

going at it before the ceremony. She pushed him away, forcing herself to stop

despite the moisture between her legs and the longing in her chest. Her wolf

was insatiable.

“We can’t do this now, and you know it. So pull yourself

together, wolfie.”

He growled and glared at her. She loved taunting him with

the nickname he hated. That was the thing about male wolves. The more annoyed

they got, the more aroused they became, and she’d end up shoved against the

wall with him pounding inside her. Just how she liked it with Marek.

Now Nolan, he was different. Her other lover had the

patience of a saint, and no matter how hard she pushed, he always stayed in

control. It drove her wild, and he knew it. Damn, how she loved him. A twinge

of guilt settled in her stomach, and she turned back to the window.

“What is it, Sierra?” Marek stepped close, but he didn’t

touch. Even he knew they had to settle down.

“I know Nolan understands things have to go this way, yet it

hurts my heart to keep him a secret.”

“So then speak up. You’re an alpha. You have the ability to

rewrite the rules.”

She turned on Marek. “Damn it, don’t feed me that line of

bullshit. You know if my father found out the truth, he’d not make me the pack

leader tonight. He’d probably give the pack to one of his idiot male

lieutenants just because they have a dick between their legs.”

Marek softened his expression with a small smile. “Maybe you

underestimate him. He may be set in his ways, but do you honestly think he

doesn’t understand the heat you withstand? The constant sensual hunger that

must be satisfied?”

She pushed past him and settled on the chair in the corner.

She didn’t want to have this conversation again. It always ended the same.

Tonight was special, and she would not walk away again. The pack needed this as

much as she did.

“I’ve made my decision,” Sierra began on a sigh. “We will be

mated, and Nolan will finally be able to live with us full-time. The time isn’t

right for confrontation.”

Marek didn’t respond, and she refused to look up in

question. He would have to get used to his place at her side in public and the

fact that her decisions were final. Eventually, she’d find a way to change the

rules against wolves and their human protectors from mating, but not tonight.

Tension grew in the room until her skin itched with it, and

the wolf whined inside her head. Now it was her turn to deal with the

increasing aggression and her need to prove her dominance over Marek. Yeah

right. That would be an interesting fight. He gave as good as he got and always

kept her on her toes.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

“Yeah?” The pit in her stomach grew heavier.

“It’s time to go, Sierra. Everyone is gathered outside and

your father is waiting.” Her father. He’d reluctantly agreed to the change in

leadership of their pack on the shaky agreement that Marek and she mate first.

In fact, she suspected he knew the truth and was using tonight as a way to

force her hand.

This was the first black moon since she’d returned to the

pack, and she’d known when she came home her father would expect this. Her

thoughts drifted to the past and the heartache that lay behind her. She firmly

closed that door and stood. The past was the past and needed to stay there.

“I’ll be right out.” She offered her hand to Marek. “I guess

it’s time for us to go.”

Instead of taking her hand, he grabbed her shoulders and

pulled her against his chest, his mouth descending upon hers.

Forceful.

Claiming.

Those were her only clear thoughts as he took possession of

her, infusing her with emotions and passion that tasted sweet and sensual.

When he broke the kiss, she stumbled back a step but quickly

regained her balance. His gaze captured hers, and she stared into deep blue

eyes dark with need. She wanted to get lost in them. But she and Marek had a

duty..

London Howl by Hildie McQueen

“Genise.” A husky, deep voice permeated through the clouds

of sleep and Genise snuggled closer to the warm body next to hers.

“Mmm?”

His hand slid down her arm and back up leaving a trail of heat.

She was instantlyawake. In her sleep, she’d plastered herself against David.

Now she was fully aware of what little he wore. Boxers or something of the

sort, nothing else.

Too mortified to move, she pretended to be half-asleep and let out

a long breath.

“This is dangerous.” David didn’t move away, either.

Instead, his hand continued its descent to her hip. “Tempting me,

Genise?”

She opened her eyes to find he studied her face.

“Sorry.”  Genise moved away and turned her face

Into the pillow.

“I didn’t realize I’d moved over,” she mumbled into the fabric.

“You were fast asleep.” He turned to face her. “It

was nice to wake up with your head on my shoulder.”

If only she’d woken up first. She’d fully remember the feel of his

body on top of her. Now her plan to feel him up while he slept would

have to wait another day. Damn.

“Come here. Why did you move away?” With rumpled hair

and half-closed eyes, he reminded her of the ultimate Prince Charming.

Impossible to resist.

She slid closer and he pulled her against him. “That’s better now, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” No need to lie. “Much better.”

“Are you ready for the day?” he asked as his hand, once

again, skimmed over her skin.  Every single molecule in her

body went on high alert and Genise inhaled sharply.

“I’m not sure. A bit nervous.” Seriously, did the man

plan to hold a conversation right now? Of course, their agreement did not

include sex. As a matter of fact, it was very specifically indicated in the

contract that she was not to engage in any intimate manner with him. How they

were expected to sleep in the same bed and not was puzzling.

“Although I am used to it, there are times it all still

affects me. So I understand.” He spoke in the lazy language of someone at

ease with the other in bed. How often, she wondered, did he have women hired to

do what she did right now? Did he have an erection? Most men woke up with one.

Would he rebuff any advances by her?  Why were they having some sort of

business meeting while half-naked in bed? He’d asked something and she’d been too

absorbed indirty thoughts to hear. “Oh goodness.” She’d not meant to speak out loud.

David placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her face.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just wondering what I’m supposed to wear today,” she lied.

He was gay. That had to be it.

The part of her heart that had loved him from afar for so long broke. Yet, it

would certainly explain why he did not try anything.

She left her musings to focus on his words.

He’d continued the conversation…”so it’s refreshing to

Be with someone that doesn’t give a fig about designers and such.”

The soft, English accent combined with the huskiness of just

waking, was oh so sexy.

“David?”

“Yes?”

“Are you gay?”

“There was a moment of silence, then a chuckle. “No. I suppose

you ask because I’m not trying to have sex with you.”

Dragon’s Honor by Mina Carter

Being called into the boss’s office was nothing new for

Duke and Baron. Being called in for something other than a bollocking was. “You sure she  said we weren’t in trouble?” Baron rumbled, the deep note of his

dragon evident in his voice as he slouched in the chair next to Duke and

glowered at his reflection in the window opposite. Given

the nature of the  agency’s work the PPA offices were  open twenty-four-seven,

so the window looked out into darkness of night.

Duke cast a glance the same way. Twins whose adoptive parents had decided

that noble names would give their kids something to aspire to, they weren’t identical, not in human form anyway. As humans they looked alike, obviously brothers, but that’s where

it ended. It was only in their shifted forms that they were truly identical.

Whether or not that was the way with shadow-dragons, he had

no idea. Dumped on the steps of a hospital when

they  were days old, they’d never met their parents, nor indeed any

others of their kind. It had only been their adoptive father’s research that

had given them a name for what they were. Seemed that shadow-dragons were as

rare as rocking horse shit, so getting more info was a no-go. Story of their

lives.”

Apparently not. ” Duke shrugged.  “She just said she wanted to talk to us about

a job.”  He reached up,  caught his hair at the nape of his

neck and snapped the band from his wrist around it

in a low pony-tail. Unsnapping a second he held

it out to his brother. Baron glared at it as if

it were a venomous snake. Curling his lip, he took it and caught his own hair

back. Duke nodded in approval as he studied their reflections in

the  window. At least  they looked presentable now. Kind of.

“Why?” He slid a sideways glance at Duke. His brother was way too quiet.

Which meant he was thinking, which never led anywhere good,

or  he  had  done something, which also never led anywhere

good. Especially since their last job had been at

a  house with stables. Stables with horses.

Horses  which, as far as Duke was concerned, were

just steaks on legs and Duke sure as hell liked

steak. He also hadn’t bugged the shit out of

Baron  to  stop for pizza on the way to the offices, a fact that hadn’t

occurred to Baron until just now. “

Please tell me you didn’t snack at the Jenkins.”

Duke  turned to look at him and…yes,

there it was. The wide-eyed, oh-so-innocent  look that was

completely believable to everyone but Baron. His breath punched out of his lungs

in a hiss just as Iliona’s door opened.“Keep  shut  and

let me do the talking,” he  ordered as the slender

form of their boss was outlined in the door.

Iliona was human, which meant small and delicate.

Where the agency was concerned though, she had

balls of steel and would face down even the scariest of

the paras. No one argued, not if they wanted a job.

Work could be hard to come by if you were a paranormal, especially without the

backing of an established pack like the wolves, and old money like the vamps. Hell, even

the elves were organized, but dragons? Nada. Those that had to work were

relegated to niche jobs or, Duke shuddered, construction.  He fucking

hated construction work. The agency had changed all that for them. Within five minutes of walking into the front office in desperation, they’ d been hired and hadn’t

looked back. Just sideways and up, normally while Iliona was shouting at

them because Duke had eaten yet another family pet.

This time though, the little human’s face was wreathed in

a smile. It looked good on her. Quickly Baron shut down that train of thought.

He might be a dragon, and rather hard to kill, but that didn’t mean

he was suicidal.

All the guys working for the agency, whatever their species, knew the boss was in a triad

with the two gargoyles, Cal and Gran, neither of whom would hesitate to prove exactly why gargoyles referred to other species as ‘squishable’  .

“Just in time.”

Iliona stood to one side of the door and waved them forward.“ Come on in, sit down. I’ve got something I want to run by you.”

Like naughty schoolboys, the two brothers filed  into the office with Baron, as always, in the lead. Clocking a stranger in the room, he stopped, and Duke walked smack into the back of him. Absorbing the  impact with a soft grunt, he cast a swift glance over the guy—suited, booted, and human by the smell of him—then rolled his gaze to Iliona.

“Ahh, yes.” She hurried forward, putting herself between the dragons and the human. Their dislike of strangers, particularly human strangers, was well known.

“This is Detective Hammond, he’s with the local police department. Detective Hammond, can I introduce you to Duke and Baron, two of our best operatives.”

Baron’s eyebrow rose at her praise. That certainly wasn’t what she’d called them the last time they’d wound up in here, shuffling their feet like kids summoned to the  headmaster’s office. What she’d called them then would’ve made a marine blush.

He turned from glaring at his brother to find the detective on his feet, hand out to

shake. Duke ignored it, taking one of the seats behind them without a word. No

surprise there. Duke wasn’t a talker at the best of times. Baron shook the

guy’s hand, offering a small, polite smile he didn’t feel. Humans and their

damn rituals.

“Pleasure to meet you, Mr…?” The detective let his words trail off in question.

“No mister. Just Baron.”

“Not all of our operatives are human, Detective.”   Iliona chimed  in. “And not all of them are comfortable giving their full names if, indeed, they have more than one.”

“They’d have to have a surname if they went through the

education system, or if  you’re employing  them.” Confusion

flowed  over  Hammond’s features as he did that little trouser hitch the

experienced suit-wearer adopted to stop their pants creasing and

sat down. Baron slumped into the chair next to Duke, not caring if his well-worn jeans

got creased or not.

Boss-lady smiled from the other side of the desk, her hands folded over the file in front

of her. The expression didn’t reach her eyes, and the scent rolling

from her betrayed her irritation with the male. Not that he’d be able to pick that up

with his dull senses.

“That would be true,” she replied. “If we paid them in money.”

Hammond blinked, looking between

her and the two brothers. “No money?

What do you pay them with then?”

“Cows.” Baron’svoice rang with relish as he picked up

on the cue. “Live ones for us to roast. They taste better that way.”

Bearly Hanging On by Marina Maddix

“M’ lady.” Chet opened the passenger side door to his uncle’s massive brown Caddy

and waved her in with a flourish, bending low as she climbed in. Her anxiety burst out

of her in a stream of giggles. He gave her a funny look before closing the door and walking

the mile and a half around the front of the car.

Climbing in next to her, he asked, “Where to?”

Of course he wouldn’t have any idea where to go, since he only

drove between Pearce Forestry and her grandparents’  house. She still didn’t understand why it was such a terrible thing for him to hang out with her. Some weird class thing,

no doubt.

“Well…the tide’s about to change. Go down Seymour Street and

take a left,” she instructed.

The destination wasn’t very far but it still took a good twenty

minutes of careful maneuvering to get the big boat of a car down the rutted

forest service road to the overlook spot. It would be light till nine, or even

later, so they should have a good show.

“What is this place?” Chet asked, clunking the gear shift into ‘

park’.

Crystal hopped out and waved for him to follow, leading him to a

rocky outcropping overlooking a narrow channel. Patting the mossy granite next

to her, she said, “Come sit by me. This is gonna blow your mind.”

Chet snuggled up close to her, his purely masculine scent wrapping

around her like a tendril of warm smoke. It went straight to her core and

wriggled its way to her most sensitive parts. He never failed to get her all

hot and bothered, but it became so much more intense since he stopped wearing

Polo. A carefully calculated comment about how his own musk was vastly more

sensual than the cologne did the trick, and it wasn’t a lie. If she could only

smell one thing for the rest of her life, it would be Chet.

Bacon would be a close second

Her Shifter Secret by Flora Dare

She stood on the beach, the ocean crashing into the

sand in front of her. At her feet, Danae created a complicated diagram, loops

and swirls, harsh stick lines filled with colored salt and bits of shell. She

paused in her work and looked up at the moon that flooded the beach with light.

She flicked a match and lit the sage bundle. She traced the sacred pattern with

smoke, filling her head with her intention.

Forgetfulness. Freedom from pain. Peace.

The spell complete, she left the still burning sage

in the center of the diagram and stepped back. She sat a few feet away,

watching the sea slowly rise. The incoming tide took the spell and her last

shred of hope slowly into the ocean. The creeping water finally reached the

smoldering sage bundle, and extinguished it.

Danae sighed. The sea had her pain now, and all she

could do was to wait and pray that Neya, the goddess of the ocean, listened and

would grant her what she so desperately needed.

Danae woke up, tossing, the same nightmare echoing

in her ears. Blood, flames, screams. There was an emptiness inside of her where

the pain of her loss echoed. She pushed the blankets off and got out of bed.

She wandered to the window and looked out over the ocean. A storm was rolling

in, and she watched the spikes of lightning strike the water, over and over. It

suited her mood. She felt wild, like she could smash at the world a thousand

times.

The waves grew crazed as the storm got closer to the

shore, and the wind echoed her despair as it howled around her house. She could

not look away from the water-lashed shore. Transfixed, Danae felt the sizzling

power of the storm wrap itself around her. Exultation rose inside her. The sea

was answering her plea. She felt it. Something was coming. Flowing through her

was the knowledge that her petition would be answered.

The storm ended as abruptly as it began. Danae

sagged down into the seat. She was so sure that it was Neya was answering her

pleas, but the horrid etched-in-stone memories were still there, still present.

She wrapped herself in a soft blanket and wept until she fell asleep.

The sun’s rays spiked through her window and the

calling of the seagulls woke her. A sour taste of disappointment still lingered

in her throat as she staggered to look out the window. Danae still remembered

everything. Her grief and her pain were still utterly wrapped around her soul.

She stared out the window as a bitter tear rolled down her cheek. She was

staring, half blinded by tears when a large lump rolling in the surf caught her

eye. It was getting closer and closer to the shore and Danae realized that this

was the answer the sea was going to give her. She raced out the door. She had

to reach whatever it was before it was too late.

She approached the water and saw red streaks rushing

to meet the retreating waves. Danae stared at the sea’s offering for several

long heart beats, finally realizing it was a man caught in the ocean’s grasp.

He was tumbling in the waves and she dashed forward, soaking herself, but she

was able to drag him to safety. She collapsed next to him, praying she’d been

fast enough to save him. She couldn’t bear another dead face trapped in her

mind.

Danae reached over and touched his back. He was

still warm so she rolled him over. He coughed, spitting up water, and moaned

something she didn’t catch. He was too big for her to move any further and she

was paralyzed with indecision. Should I go for help? Would anyone help me even

if they could get here fast enough? She grasped his neck, feeling for his

pulse. She went weak with relief when it beat strong beneath her hand.

She looked the man up and down, and realized with a

sigh of relief that his wounds were all superficial. Danae shifted to stand,

planning on running to the cottage to grab a blanket, but he moved fast and

seized her hand. She froze as he opened his eyes and his shocking green eyes

locked with hers. His eyes were all the colors of the sea, shifting and

hypnotizing.

She leaned forward, transfixed, pulled in by the

waves in his eyes. Danae was shocked away from him when his other hand reached

out and grazed her check. An unexpected jolt of passion rolled through her. It

had been so long, she almost didn’t recognize the feelings flooding her body.

Danae jerked away and broke free from his grasp.  I don’t want those feelings, I don’t deserve

them. She rolled back on her heels, further away from the man. He slowly sat

up, his eyes never leaving her face.

Maria & the Angel by Jordan K. Rose

It was slightly intimidating to stand beside a man so beautiful.

As a woman Maria couldn’t help but compare. Were her eyelashes as long and

thick as Dante’s? Was her skin as flawless? Was her hair as soft? Did she smell

as good?

The answer, of course, was no. She was a werewolf. By design she

had shorter eyelashes and tougher skin, thicker, more durable hair, and her

smell, well, she smelled like a werewolf. She was clean, of course, and smelled

fine to humans and wolves. But other Others commented on the “wolf smell.”

She was no fool. Dante could smell her just as much as any Other,

probably better than anyone. That sort of concern could make even the most

confident woman a little nutty.

Pluses and minuses existed in every being, thus they impacted

every relationship. Personality traits, as well as the specifics of each

species could certainly complicate matters.

There were plenty of elements of Dante she could not ignore. For

instance, his eyes were Otherworldly. Heavenly, even. In all her lifetimes

she’d never seen any like them.

Maximilian, the owner of Seductions, had Caribbean blue eyes that

made everyone look twice. Lovely eyes. She enjoyed looking at him as much as

any woman, but she did not envy the vampire.

Dante’s eyes literally held the view of all the world, all of the

past and the future. He’d seen everything for eons. They were the color of

perfectly polished jade and held flecks of darker green, black, and gold,

giving more depth to his eyes than humanly possible.

Whenever she met his gaze, she felt the pull of centuries. The

hypnotic lure was nearly impossible to resist.

Unfathomable beauty and grace dwelled within those eyes. Years ago

she stopped trying to understand. Instead she learned to think past the angel

factor and think of him as a man.

It was what he wanted, how he advised her to consider him. And so

she did.

She sighed as Dante’s hand made the slow descent down the curves

of her body, lingering over the swell of her breast, and continuing down to her

thigh. He may have been an angel, but he was still a man.

He nestled his chin against her neck, and the gentle puff of his

breath breezed over her skin. “This pleases you.” His deep voice was magical.

Loud enough for only her to hear. A whisper into her soul.

Mate for a Month by Georgette St. Clair

“Thank you for saving my life,” she said to him. “My name is

Eileen Pennyroyal.” As soon as she mentioned her last name, she regretted it. A

lot of people found it intimidating or off-putting. But not this guy,

apparently. He didn’t even react. Was it possible he hadn’t heard of the

Pennyroyals? That would be a refreshing change.

“You’re a shifter,” he growled at her.

“Well, obviously.” The eyes and the scent gave it away, of course.

Her eyes were a startling shade of gold. He just stood there and stared, his

warm breath making puffs of vapor in the chilly morning air. She was

disconcerted. He didn’t seem embarrassed about his nudity; he wasn’t making any

attempt to hide it.

“Why didn’t you shift?”

“What?” she said, rattled. He was really making her nervous. “Do

you need some clothing? I’ve got a sheet in my car – you could wrap yourself in

it.” She hadn’t checked in to the hotel yet, so she still had her suitcases in

the car. She’d packed 1500 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets in case the hotel

didn’t have any.

“Why would I wrap myself in a sheet?” He was staring at her as if

she was crazy, and he was starting to seriously tick her off. First of all, he

was the one standing there starkers with his enormous schlong hanging out, and

he was looking at her funny? And he wasn’t attempting to flirt with her or

charm her at all. Not that she would have gone for it, but still. A girl liked

to have the option.

Fast & the Furriest by Celia Kyle

Ares never thought he’d say the words in his lifetime, but he

opened his mouth and out they came. “You can’t eat a human just because he

looked at you funny.”

His sister Claire glared at him. “He was gonna pull my tail.”

God save him from paranoid tigers. He closed his eyes and pinched

the bridge of his nose as he asked the obvious question. “Were you wearing your

tail?”

“No,” she grumbled.

“Then please tell me, by all that is striped and orange, how the

hell did you think he could tug your tail if you weren’t wearing it?” Claire

winced, and he realized he may have been shouting by the time he finished his

question.

But who could blame him? His mother should have killed Claire at

birth. Not because anything was wrong with his sister, but mainly because

twenty-two years later, she was a real pain in Ares’s ass.

He took a deep breath and tried to find some sort of calm. It

hadn’t worked so far, but a man could hope. “Claire, you know how it works, we

all do.”

Mating was a three-step process for tigers. Sex without a condom

to give their partner a few shifter characteristics and see how their

significant other handled those changes. Then a bite made the changes

permanent.

Neither was the true tie that would complete a mate bond, though.

The most important, the action that once taken could never be reversed, was the

tail-tugging. It went soul deep and formed a bond that only death could break.

With or without bites, that one act couldn’t be revoked. For a tiger to have

their tail pulled, to have that binding forced on them…

Ares’s worst nightmare came to life. They’d been lucky so far, his

tigers keeping to their human forms, but the full moon was so close.

Fuck.

“The humans know it too and all because—”

He knew the end of her sentence and cut her off with a slice of

his hand through the air.

All because of that human bitch you got cozy with.

The human bitch being Ares’s ex, Zoe. Zoe, the luscious bit of

human his tiger still missed. Zoe, with her smile and tinkling laugh. Zoe and…

her camera phone and newspaper connections.

Zoe Reynolds: photographer, reporter, and… Ares’s mate. At least,

he’d thought so. Now she was merely the weapon of his pride’s destruction.

At the moment, his public relations team was working on spinning

the story. They’d been debating revealing the truth versus denying it all, and

then… in came his human-craving sister.

“Claire,” he sighed and leaned forward in his chair, forearms

resting on the edge of his desk. He was tired, so damned tired, and all he

wanted was one moment of peace. “I need you to work with me—”

“And not against me,” his younger sister drawled.

Darcy, the head of his PR team, huffed, drawing his attention  from his sister and reminding him he was

actually in the middle of a meeting and not free to argue. “Look, Claire, it’d

be a good idea to lay low for a while. Stay close to the house.”

“You’re gonna let them drive us from our land?”

“No,” he drew the word out and prayed for patience. “I’m asking

the pride to stay out of the outlying acres while we get a handle on things.

You can still go up the mountain, but avoid the forests closest to town. Stay

away from the hiking paths and areas open to the public.”

He stared Claire down, letting his strength as alpha flow through

the room. Darcy whimpered and looked at the ground, her inner tiger succumbing

to his dominance. Now he waited on his sister. She held his gaze, blue eyes

blazing with determination fueled by anger. Their father was an alpha, the

strongest of the strong, and he’d imbued all of his children with that power.

It was part of the reason she managed to hold his stare for as long as she did,

but she’d submit.

And… there it was. Claire snatched her attention from him and

glared at the wood flooring, tilting her head to the side. She clenched her

jaw, muscles standing out, and he knew she had plenty to say about his orders.

Well, he had too much shit to do to listen to her rant and rave.

His tiger nudged forward, its curiosity piqued by his show of

dominance. It wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Curious cat. “I’m

asking you to be smart and save our mother worry, Claire. I’m asking you to stay

safe.”

She gritted out, “If she hadn’t—”

“That conversation is done, and the issue is no longer up for

discussion.” He wasn’t going to rehash things every damned day.

His tiger finally understood Ares’s frustration and source of

anger. It was familiar with his sister’s behavior, and as far as Zoe went… the

animal didn’t want to think about her or the mistake they’d nearly made. The

whole situation would have been worse had he allowed Zoe to tug his tail, had

he joined with her permanently.

The cat understood and accepted the situation, but that didn’t

mean it didn’t mourn. With a final flick of its tail, the feline turned its

back on Ares’s human consciousness and padded to the far reaches of his mind,

content to sleep the day away. It’d been like that from the moment he’d read

the article’s headline and byline.

Ladies, like a tiger’s stripes? Tug his tail and keep him forever!

by Zoe Reynolds

Then there’d been a picture, bright and bold, showing off Ares’s

naked body along with several snapshots of his transformation. Oh, there was

appropriate blurring here and there, but they’d gotten the point across.

Just like werewolves, bears, and lions, there were weretigers.

Even worse, tug a tiger’s tail and then the two were suddenly

mated whether the tiger liked it or not. And trying to part a tiger from their

mate could have deadly consequences.

“But, Ares,” Claire whined.

“Claire, if you were any other tiger…”

“You’d have me pinned to the ground already with my scruff between

your teeth.”

He made the threat way too often and didn’t follow through often

enough. Or ever. Dammit. “So help me, I will send you to Arizona. Just see if I

don’t.”

That had her gasping, and her gaze clashed with his once more.

“You’d…” she stuttered. “You’d send me to the desert?”

“Yes.”

“They don’t even have trees there!”

“I’m sure they have a few,” he assured her.

“And no marshes. Or swamps! Or caves!”

Ah, the places a tiger liked to play the most. He rose to his feet

and placed his palms on the desk, leaning over the smooth surface. He forced

the cat to come forward and help a guy out. It grumbled, but did as he asked,

shifting his human eyes to tiger yellow. “No. Savannahs.”

“You wouldn’t,” she gasped and clutched her chest.

“I. Would.” Okay, he wouldn’t.