Slowly, Gavin pulled his hand away, and Tucker continued stroking him. When he was hard again, Tucker began moving gently in and out of his tight little hole. Matching his movements to that of his hand, he set up a slow gentle rhythm, and was able to push deeply inside Gavin as his muscles relaxed. Tucker was surprised at the depth of emotion he felt for this man, and pressed his cheek to Gavin’s back. “So fucking good, Gavin,” he said softly, and Gavin expressed his agreement with a groan that sounded like it was torn from him and a push of his butt against Tucker’s groin.

Tucker began to move faster, unable to resist thrusting harder against him, and Gavin reached behind him to put his hand on Tucker’s hip. “More,” he said softly, and Tucker moaned, thrusting in and out as his hand curled around Gavin’s cock. With a guttural cry, Gavin came, spilling over Tucker’s hand. Tucker intended to milk him dry, but his own orgasm sneaked up on him, almost taking him by surprise, and hesurged hard into Gavin’s ass, squeezing his cock at the same time until both of them were yelling out their pleasure.

Gavin fell down on the bed and Tucker went with him, still deep inside him, and not really wanting to move. Gavin rolled on his side so Tucker was spooning him, and they both lay still, trying to catch their breath. Finally, after a few minutes, Tucker pulled his softened cock out reluctantly and stood up, hating to leave Gavin’s warmth. He went to the bathroom and cleaned up, then brought a warm cloth back to gently clean Gavin, who lay still with his eyes closed as Tucker cared for him. For the first time, he got a really good look at what Gavin had been trying so hard to hide. It was some kind of deformity at the base of his penis, a kind of round knot of flesh almost the size of a small baseball, the skin the same color as his cock. His cock was beautiful though, straight and thick and…uncut. Tucker had never been with anyone uncut before, so already Gavin’s cock was a little exotic and different. Strangely, the cock with its extra ring of flesh wasn’t unattractive to Tucker in the least. As a matter of fact, he found it erotic and sexy as hell, as with everything about this man. When Tucker threw the cloth down and lay next to him again, Gavin rolled to his back and opened his eyes, his gaze searching Tucker’s face.

Tucker saw that Gavin was watching him with an expression of half-hopefulness, halflonging. “Will you give me a chance, Tucker? I know you’re angry, but I really want to explain…things to you.”

Tucker rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “Okay. Let me get something to eat though before we start this. I’m starving, and I didn’t have breakfast. I saw some frozen pizza in the freezer. C’mon.” He stood up and extended a hand to Gavin, who grasped it warmly and stood up, rubbing his cock against Tucker’s. Tucker looked down in amazement to see he was already hard again. “Damn, I thought I took care of you.” He put his hand over the knot of flesh on Gavin’s penis and saw him shudder and take a deep breath, as if the flesh there were hyper- sensitive. “What’s this, baby?”

Gavin flushed. “It’s part of what I need to explain to you. Itit’s part of who I am, Tucker.”

Tucker stepped back, narrowing his eyes, but only nodded. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to hear all this or not. He reached for his pants and pulled them on, aware that Gavin was dressing himself too. Good. He needed all the barriers between them he could get if he was going to figure all this out. Now it seemed like every time they were in a room together, they ended up fucking like rabbits and nothing ever got explained. He intended to change all that right damn now.

Moving out to the kitchen, he found the pizza and put it in the oven, got out a couple of beers and turned to find Gavin watching him quietly as he sat at the bar. Tucker let his eyes roam over him again. He was so damn big, not to mention gorgeous. His hair looked silky soft and the sun streaming in the patio door picked out reddish highlights streaking through it. Those big, pouty lips were pulled together in a little frown, as he dropped his gaze to the countertop, obviously worried about something. Tucker sat the beer down in front of him and then nervously leaned against the kitchen counter.

“Okay,” Tucker said, taking a big swig of his beer. “Go ahead and tell me before you burst.”

Gavin looked up in surprise and grinned. “Is it that obvious? I’m sorry, Tucker, but I don’t even know where to begin. I’ve never had to tell this to anybody before. I have a feeling that no matter what I say, you’re going to have me locked up in a padded cell.”

“You can start with that thing on your cock. Not that I don’t find your cock impressive, mind you, but just what is that around the base of it? I’ve never seen anything like it. Please don’t tell me it’s some kind of implant from that cult you’re in.”

“Cult?” Gavin cocked his head and smiled. “We’re not exactly a cult, Tucker. More like a family or a clan. Um, actually we call it a pack.”

“A pack?” He rolled his eyes expressively. “Oh God, like with wolves?” His tone was tired and sarcastic-sounding even to his own ears, but rather than act offended, Gavin nodded his approval.

“Yes, exactly. Tucker, we’re members of the Dark Hollow Pack, and there are probably two hundred and fifty or so of us all over the Appalachian Mountains from Tennessee to North Carolina.”

“Okay,” Tucker said slowly. “So what is it that you do? Do you have meetings or some shit, dressed up like animals? Is this some kind of crazy religion?”

“Well, we…” He took a deep breath and looked directly into Tucker’s eyes, as if he were willing him to understand. “Tucker, the things you’ve always believed about the world, about everything…it’s going to change, honey.”

“Oh, really?”

Gavin stood up and came around the bar to stand in the middle of the living room floor. He began to take off his clothes again, and Tucker held out a hand, shaking his head. “Wait a minute, Gavin. As much as I enjoy seeing you naked, we’re never going to get anywhere until we stop fucking, and you just tell me what’s going on.”

“I can’t just tell you, baby,” Gavin said, pushing his jeans down to the floor and stepping out of them. “I have to show you.”

Tucker straightened up and took a step toward him. “Wait a minute, what are you…”

A strange popping and cracking sound came from Gavin’s body, and before Tucker’s shocked gaze, his body seemed to elongate and shift, bony protuberances morphing his form into an animal shape. Gavin fell down on all fours as thick, brown hair sprang up over his body. His face melted and pushed out, reforming itself into that of a huge wolf’s. Tucker heard a hoarse scream come from his throat as he stumbled back against the sink. In stunned horror, he watched as the beast’s head turned toward him, and he saw big chocolate brown eyes gazing at him. He heard a strange beating in his ears and he knew he was about to pass out. He tried to take a step forward, intending perhaps to run, to get away from this impossibility, but the floor came up to meet him and the darkness swallowed him whole.

Chapter Five

Gavin held Tucker ’s head in his lap as he sat beside him on the sofa. After Tucker passed out, Gavin had quickly shifted back and gathered him in his arms, carefully checking to make sure he had only fainted and not had a heart attack or stroke or anything. Tucker was stirring already, and Gavin tightened his grip on him, knowing he would struggle to get away when he woke up. His mate was bristly andwould no doubt be enraged when he woke up, because he’d been so scared. Tucker was smart and tough and full of surprises, like the little surprise he’d given Gavin when he first arrived, but this was a little much.

If anyone had told him the first thing Tucker would do when he saw him again was bend him over a bed and fuck him raw, he never would have believed it, but that’s exactly what happened. He’d gone along with it at first just to try to appease his anger, expecting it to be something he endured for Tucker’s sake. Instead it had been hot and mind-blowing and absolutely wonderful. He wanted to experience it again, but first he had to make Tucker understand he wasn’t some kind of monster. He’d seen the look on his face just before he passed out, and he knew he’d have a lot of explaining to do just to get him to stay in the same room with him for a while.

Tucker opened his eyes all at once, not gradually in the least, and looked up at Gavin in total shock. Immediately he strained against his hold, trying to get away. “Let me go! Damn it, let go of me!”

“Tucker, be still,” Gavin said firmly . “I’m not letting you go until you calm down and listen to me.” He gave him a tight squeeze and a little shake. “Now stop it.”

Tucker lay back in his arms, breathing hard and looking up at him. “What-what are you?”

“I’m a shape shifter, Tucker. A werewolf.” He shook his head firmly as Tucker’s eyes widened in horror. “Not like in the stupid movies, baby. I’m not a monster. I won’t hurt you— I’m not going to hurt anybody. I promise!”

“H-how is this possible?” Tucker’s question came out as a hoarse whisper, and his whole body was trembling. Gavin rubbed his hands over his arms, as Tucker had done with him earlier when they’d been making love, trying to soothe him.

“Sweetheart, please calm down. I didn’t know any other way other than just to show you, and I knew it would shock you, but it’s still just me, Gavin. All of us, my entire pack are shape shifters. Your father, too, sweetheart.”

“Oh my God! My mother—did he—did you…”

“What? Are you going to ask me if we hurt her in some way?” An outraged, indignant expression flitted across his face. “I told you, Tucker, we don’t hurt humans! Especially our mates.”

“H-humans?”

“Tucker, you saw me shift. You know I’m not human. Neither are you, honey, not entirely. Your father is one of us.”

Tucker closed his eyes and groaned. “Oh, sweet baby Jesus.”