by Sabrina Silvers
Publication date: March 19th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
A wolf on the edge, deadly shifter political games, and an unexpected attraction.
Sloane Wyman is haunted by her past and she’ll let nothing get in the way of her future. She’s vowed to defend her pack as long as there is breath in her lungs.
Benedict MacKinnon can’t trust the beast within. Not since it burst forth and nearly cost him everything. But, when his brother and mate are accused of murder, he’s willing to put everything on the line. Benedict must stand before the Supreme Council in their defense, even if it costs him his life and future.
Lying and scheming enemies eager to see him spiral out of control test his resolve at every turn. Sloane, as his back-up, is more of a hindrance than a help thanks to the unwanted primal attraction that leaves his inner wolf rumbling.
As they become targets in a game they don't know the rules, and the clock ticks down on their deadline, can they outsmart their enemies? Will they allow themselves to unite via the mate bond? Or will their attempts to save those they love meet a bloody end?
Excerpt
There had been no noise from the single bedroom, and he wondered how Sloane was doing. His wrist was burning, a painful prickly feeling where he sensed the mating mark would display, confirming the potential mating. He’d spent some time opening up his connection with his wolf to see if that exposed the mating and, sure enough, a faint hint of something was there. He tested the barely formed mate bond, knowing he could sense her feelings if they were strong enough, even if they were not yet mated, but she had locked her side down hard, it seemed. Frankly, when he had walked in and saw the one bedroom, he had expected a battle over it, but he figured, that was coming when it was time for sleep. He’d ducked the question earlier, but they’d circle back to it soon enough.
The door to the bedroom swung open, and he stared, his human and wolf both stunned. Sloane stood in the doorway wearing a midnight blue, floor-length halter dress that skimmed her curves perfectly, leaving nothing to the imagination. It flared out at the knees and left a small train around her feet. She eyed him nervously, her hair up in a simple twist and a light dusting of makeup across her face—just enough to enhance her beauty.
When he said nothing and time dragged on, she scowled. “Is something wrong?”
He stood and walked over to her, forcing her to tilt her head to look at him. “Just trying to form words. You’re stunning, Sloane. And part of me wants to keep you hidden here.” A slow smile crossed his face. “Another part wants to show you off.”
She rolled her eyes, but a small smile let him know she was pleased. “Pig.”
He grinned and leaned close, within inches of her ear. “I love bacon, and I hear you do, too. I’ll be quick and probably won’t look as good as you do.”
“Well, can you zip me up? I’m flexible but couldn’t quite reach this zipper.” She turned and presented her back to him, one hand holding up the halter dress at the base of her neck.
He ran his fingers over her shoulders, bared by the halter dress. She shuddered under his light touch but didn’t move away. Her skin was silken under his touch, unexpectedly soft, something he didn’t expect from the tough enforcer. He trailed his fingertips down one shoulder blade and felt her muscles jump. She moaned, and her head fell forward. He swallowed hard, gripped the tab on the zipper, and pulled it up.
“All set.” His voice sounded hoarse to his own ears, but he needed space.
He stepped back, and she turned, her eyes wide and darkened with heat. It was all he could do to not pull her into his arms and kiss her, to pull off the dress and sink into her heat. But she’d probably claw the shit out of him. She wasn’t ready for this, not quite yet. And he wasn’t either, not with the iron control he had to exert over his wolf. He ghosted a hand over her cheek then slid past her and closed the door behind him, shutting out temptation.
He took a cold shower, trying to control his raging erection, and dressed in a suit. When he exited to the sitting area, Sloane was going through her tablet. She gave him an appreciative once over, her pupils dilating as she inhaled his scent.
“Do I pass inspection?” he drawled.
Her smile faded, replaced with an expression of concern. “Are we really in mating fever?”
He walked over to her and pulled her to her feet and into his body. “What does your wolf tell you?”
Her hands were braced on his chest but not pushing him away, only resting gently on him. “I’m not ready for a mating.”
“Any mating or one with me?” He tried not to show his hurt and braced himself for rejection. Hell, he’d sworn he would never mate, but here he was facing the wolf the goddess had chosen for him. His worst fears were coming true. Finding a mate and not being able to protect his Pack. How could this situation get any worse?
“Any mating. Benedict, I never expected to find anyone. Things are so convoluted right now. I need time to figure everything out.” The words poured out of her in a rush, and he heaved a sigh of relief.
He cupped her cheek, rubbing a thumb over her lower lip. “I understand that. I vowed never to mate, so this is a complete surprise for me, too. We have a lot of other things to focus on, namely, saving our Pack. We can deal with our own issues later, decide if we want to mate.”
Surprise flared in her eyes. “I have a choice?”
“I would never force you. Mating should be a happy occasion, welcomed by both parties. If we decide that this isn’t for either of us, then we should walk away. Let’s use this time to get to know each other.”
She cocked her head and narrowed her gaze on him for a long moment. “Why don’t you want to mate? Am I not good enough?”
Her words weren’t a challenge, just inquiring, though there was a tone of hurt underlying her words that he had to answer somehow, but he wasn’t ready. He knew that made him a bastard and a fraud, after forcing her to share her darkest moments, but he didn’t know how to form the words, not yet. “It would be best if I never mated. But the goddess chose, so I can’t ignore her gift.”
“I never saw you as someone who had this deep connection to the goddess.”
He shrugged and stepped back, fiddling with his cufflinks. “We can’t deny her role in our lives. Are you ready?”
She squared her shoulders as if preparing for battle. “Ready.”
“Let’s be a duck.” At her quizzical look, he smiled. “Smooth and placid on the surface, paddling like mad underneath.”
Understanding dawned. “Never let them see you sweat. I can do that.”
There had been no noise from the single bedroom, and he wondered how Sloane was doing. His wrist was burning, a painful prickly feeling where he sensed the mating mark would display, confirming the potential mating. He’d spent some time opening up his connection with his wolf to see if that exposed the mating and, sure enough, a faint hint of something was there. He tested the barely formed mate bond, knowing he could sense her feelings if they were strong enough, even if they were not yet mated, but she had locked her side down hard, it seemed. Frankly, when he had walked in and saw the one bedroom, he had expected a battle over it, but he figured, that was coming when it was time for sleep. He’d ducked the question earlier, but they’d circle back to it soon enough.
The door to the bedroom swung open, and he stared, his human and wolf both stunned. Sloane stood in the doorway wearing a midnight blue, floor-length halter dress that skimmed her curves perfectly, leaving nothing to the imagination. It flared out at the knees and left a small train around her feet. She eyed him nervously, her hair up in a simple twist and a light dusting of makeup across her face—just enough to enhance her beauty.
When he said nothing and time dragged on, she scowled. “Is something wrong?”
He stood and walked over to her, forcing her to tilt her head to look at him. “Just trying to form words. You’re stunning, Sloane. And part of me wants to keep you hidden here.” A slow smile crossed his face. “Another part wants to show you off.”
She rolled her eyes, but a small smile let him know she was pleased. “Pig.”
He grinned and leaned close, within inches of her ear. “I love bacon, and I hear you do, too. I’ll be quick and probably won’t look as good as you do.”
“Well, can you zip me up? I’m flexible but couldn’t quite reach this zipper.” She turned and presented her back to him, one hand holding up the halter dress at the base of her neck.
He ran his fingers over her shoulders, bared by the halter dress. She shuddered under his light touch but didn’t move away. Her skin was silken under his touch, unexpectedly soft, something he didn’t expect from the tough enforcer. He trailed his fingertips down one shoulder blade and felt her muscles jump. She moaned, and her head fell forward. He swallowed hard, gripped the tab on the zipper, and pulled it up.
“All set.” His voice sounded hoarse to his own ears, but he needed space.
He stepped back, and she turned, her eyes wide and darkened with heat. It was all he could do to not pull her into his arms and kiss her, to pull off the dress and sink into her heat. But she’d probably claw the shit out of him. She wasn’t ready for this, not quite yet. And he wasn’t either, not with the iron control he had to exert over his wolf. He ghosted a hand over her cheek then slid past her and closed the door behind him, shutting out temptation.
He took a cold shower, trying to control his raging erection, and dressed in a suit. When he exited to the sitting area, Sloane was going through her tablet. She gave him an appreciative once over, her pupils dilating as she inhaled his scent.
“Do I pass inspection?” he drawled.
Her smile faded, replaced with an expression of concern. “Are we really in mating fever?”
He walked over to her and pulled her to her feet and into his body. “What does your wolf tell you?”
Her hands were braced on his chest but not pushing him away, only resting gently on him. “I’m not ready for a mating.”
“Any mating or one with me?” He tried not to show his hurt and braced himself for rejection. Hell, he’d sworn he would never mate, but here he was facing the wolf the goddess had chosen for him. His worst fears were coming true. Finding a mate and not being able to protect his Pack. How could this situation get any worse?
“Any mating. Benedict, I never expected to find anyone. Things are so convoluted right now. I need time to figure everything out.” The words poured out of her in a rush, and he heaved a sigh of relief.
He cupped her cheek, rubbing a thumb over her lower lip. “I understand that. I vowed never to mate, so this is a complete surprise for me, too. We have a lot of other things to focus on, namely, saving our Pack. We can deal with our own issues later, decide if we want to mate.”
Surprise flared in her eyes. “I have a choice?”
“I would never force you. Mating should be a happy occasion, welcomed by both parties. If we decide that this isn’t for either of us, then we should walk away. Let’s use this time to get to know each other.”
She cocked her head and narrowed her gaze on him for a long moment. “Why don’t you want to mate? Am I not good enough?”
Her words weren’t a challenge, just inquiring, though there was a tone of hurt underlying her words that he had to answer somehow, but he wasn’t ready. He knew that made him a bastard and a fraud, after forcing her to share her darkest moments, but he didn’t know how to form the words, not yet. “It would be best if I never mated. But the goddess chose, so I can’t ignore her gift.”
“I never saw you as someone who had this deep connection to the goddess.”
He shrugged and stepped back, fiddling with his cufflinks. “We can’t deny her role in our lives. Are you ready?”
She squared her shoulders as if preparing for battle. “Ready.”
“Let’s be a duck.” At her quizzical look, he smiled. “Smooth and placid on the surface, paddling like mad underneath.”
Understanding dawned. “Never let them see you sweat. I can do that.”
Sabrina Silvers began her writing career dreaming of elves, orcs, and hobbits in the fantasy section of her local library, looking in wardrobes for Narnia and Aslan, and hunting for gnomes in the forest. To her dismay, she never found any of them except between the pages of her books. So, she had to go out and create them for herself, leading to her lifelong love of reading and writing and dreaming about adventures, fantasy creatures and love in fantasy lands! She divides her time between writing sexy contemporary romances under a different pen name, reading, knitting and being owned by a very spoiled cocker spaniel who does not share her love of fantasy creatures.
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