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Brac Village 12

Loving Styles

Styles hates wolves with a passion. They have been nothing but
trouble to him since he was a small pup. It was wolves who killed

his parents. It was wolves who messed with him in his young adult
life. So when fate decides to give Styles a wolf for a mate, he finds
himself at a crossroad, uncertain of which road to take.

Robby Nobles is determined to make Styles his. He knows about
the coyote's tragic past, but he isn’t going to let that stand in his

way of going after what is his. The harder Styles pushes him
away, the harder Robby fights to get near the man. Loving Styles

is easy, but getting the man to tear down his walls is proving
tough.

When someone breaks into Robby's house, trashing the place,
Styles agrees to let Robby stay the night. He swore that all wolves
were his mortal enemy, until Robby touches a place Styles

thought long dead.

His heart.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Shape-shifter,
Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 35,753 words

LOVING STYLES

Brac Village 12

Lynn Hagen

EVERLASTING CLASSIC

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic ManLove

LOVING STYLES
Copyright © 2013 by Lynn Hagen
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-280-4

First E-book Publication: August 2013

Cover design by Siren Publishing
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
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All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER
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www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

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Regarding E-book Piracy

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LOVING STYLES

Brac Village 12

LYNN HAGEN

Chapter One

“Are you serious?” Styles threw his head back and laughed. “I’ve

never heard of a man that persistent.”

Reese chuckled. “No shit. It seemed every time my back was

turned, the guy was trying to creep in. I wasn’t sure what to do. I’m
not into beating up twinks.”

“And Caleb didn’t say anything?” Styles asked about the Lucky

Clover owner. He leaned back against the counter and smiled,
knowing damn well the owner wouldn’t have kicked the man out
either.

“Not directly to the little blond guy.” Reese smiled, showing off a

perfect row of straight, white teeth. “He was actually amused by the
whole situation. He said that’s what he paid me for so handle it.”

“So did you?” Styles already knew the answer. Reese had a very

big sexual appetite. The man was as kinky as they came.

The smile on his face widened right before Reese winked at him.

“Oh, I handled it all right.”

There was no way Styles was going to get any details out of

Reese. The man never kissed and told. He was a true gentleman, even
if he was a big-time freak. It was just a part of his charm.

Lynn Hagen

“I see you haven’t killed those wolves yet.” Reese turned and set

his mug of coffee in the sink. “How’s it going at work?”

Styles lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “They’re not that bad—

although Tryck still gets on my last nerve.”

Reese nodded. “I heard he can be a pain in the ass. But he has a

good side.”

Styles had yet to see it. Working for Tryck Santiago was like

working for a lion with a thorn in his paw. The timber wolf was
always snapping or grumbling out orders. The only time he seemed
content was when his mate was around.

But then again, Styles didn’t like wolves. He had a few damn

good reasons for feeling that way.

“Ah, well,” Reese said as he walked toward the kitchen archway.

“It’s about time I went to bed.”

Styles looked at his watch to see that it was six in the morning. He

knew Reese had worked late at the Lucky Clover. The bar slash
restaurant stayed open until midnight. Styles had yet to go to the
place. He really didn’t get out much. He was more of a homebody.
Work kept him busy and he enjoyed kicking his feet up at home.

Not to say he didn’t go places, but he hadn’t visited a lot of the

new establishments in town.

“Later,” he said as Reese raised a hand and waved it at him before

rounding the corner.

As Reese walked out, Kenway walked in. Styles remembered the

errand he had to run. Tryck had pretty much barked at Styles that he
had lost a bet with his brothers and it was his turn to buy breakfast.

Tryck had lost the bet, so why did Styles have to get the damn

donuts? He wasn’t going to argue with his boss, even though he had
wanted to. “I’ll be by this morning, Kenway.”

Kenway held his chest and grabbed the counter as if he were

having a heart attack. Styles rolled his eyes and chuckled.

“What’s the occasion that you’re finally coming by my bakery?”

Loving Styles

Styles felt bad that he hadn’t come to see Kenway and Ross’s new

place. He wasn’t much of a sweet eater and had been too busy when
the place first opened. “Wolves are making me pick up some donuts
for the shop.”

Kenway walked to the side door and opened it, bending down to

grab the morning paper. He tossed it onto the counter before filling
his thermal cup with coffee. “Then I guess I’ll see you there.”

Styles went back upstairs. He had a few more hours before he had

to be into work. Maybe he could get another hour’s sleep.

* * * *

Styles pulled his motorcycle in front of the bakery and cut the

motor, cursing as he removed his helmet. Maverick was standing
outside the bakery, talking on his phone.

He had avoided the alpha every chance he could. He was grateful

the man had let Styles and the other men stay at the Manchester place,
but the guy was still a wolf.

He knew he couldn’t blow Maverick off, not like he did with any

other wolf he had come into contact with. Styles might hate wolves,
but he wasn’t an idiot. He knew when to bite his tongue and smile.

As Styles approached the bakery, Maverick finished up with his

phone call, sliding his cell into his jacket. Styles walked past him, not
saying a word as he reached for the door to Sweet Delight.

“Sometimes you don’t get what you want, but what you need.”
Styles turned back to Maverick, frowning, feeling a bit confused.

What in the hell was the guy talking about? Was he talking about
donuts?

Light-grey eyes were filled with amusement and if Styles

examined them too closely…understanding. But that couldn’t be
because there was no wolf alive that would ever understand why
Styles was the way he was. Anger filled him, but he shoved it down to
the pit of his gut.

Lynn Hagen

Getting pissed at Maverick wasn’t on his list of things to do today.

Although Styles wasn’t a coward, he wasn’t stupid either. Instead of
letting his own personal feelings get in the way, he smirked at the
guy.

“Bakery fuck your order up?” he asked, not really caring about the

answer, but knew walking away from Maverick when he was talking
wasn’t a wise move.

The side of Maverick’s mouth twitched before the alpha walked

away from him, heading toward his Harley. Styles stood there for a
moment, wondering exactly what the man had been talking about. He
hated riddles and hated being confused even more.

As Maverick slid his glasses on, his head turned back toward

Styles, his long black hair swaying over his shoulders. “Don’t give up
on him. It’ll be the worst mistake of your life.” The motorcycle
thrummed to life before Maverick pulled away from the spot he had
been parked in and blended into the traffic that was passing by.

Styles stood there, listening as the roar of the motorcycle faded, an

eerie feeling washing over him. He knew he wasn’t going to ask the
alpha what he was talking about so he resigned himself to the fact that
the riddle would go unanswered.

He didn’t move until a customer tried to walk out of the bakery,

Styles blocking the man’s way. He gave the woman a polite smile
before he moved aside to allow her to exit before he walked inside,
instantly smelling sugar and melted butter, maple and honey. His
stomach growled, but he knew donuts were not something that would
fill him up.

He still had time. Maybe he would stop by the diner for some

breakfast before heading into work.

“Damn it,” Kenway said from behind the large, glass enclosure.

“You just made me lose a bet.”

Styles grinned at his friend. “And what bet would that be?”
“That you wouldn’t actually show up and get the donuts for the

Santiago brothers.” Kenway chuckled.

Loving Styles

“Which means Ross won,” Styles surmised good-naturedly. “He

can buy dinner since he’s rich now.”

Kenway snorted. “I lost a dollar.”
That made Styles laugh. “You are such a cheap bastard.”
He spotted a few thermals of coffee off to the side, along with

Styrofoam cups and some sugar. Now coffee he could use. It would
hit the spot. Styles moved over to the small setup, grabbing a cup and
pumping the Morning Blend coffee until it was near the rim.

“Okay, I need a dozen donuts, Kenway. If you dropped a few on

the floor…that would be all right.” He winked at Kenway as he
grabbed one packet of sugar and emptied it into the aromatic brew.
“They’re not for me anyway.”

Kenway’s perfectly executed arched brow made Styles smile from

ear to ear. “I’m not going to drop the donuts just because they are for
the wolves.”

“A guy could try.” Stirring his coffee, Styles took a careful sip

before heading over to where Kenway was standing. “Ah well, then
just give me a dozen so I don’t have to hear Tryck’s mouth.”

Grabbing a flat cardboard box, Kenway began to construct it.

“You should be getting along with them by now. You’ve been
working there for over a year now. You can’t tell me that you don’t
like at least one of them.”

Watching the buffalo shifter open the display to start collecting

the donuts, Styles ignored the man’s statement. Kenway of all people
should know how Styles felt and why he held onto his anger. His
friend might get along with a lot of the residents here, but Styles
wasn’t going to be so forgiving—even though no one in this town had
technically done him wrong. Kenway glanced at him through the
glass and he could see the man give a heavy sigh.

It seemed all the men he lived with were getting on with their

lives while Styles felt as if his was stuck in the past, stuck in a limbo
that ate at him every fucking day. It wasn’t that he wanted to live that
way, but he couldn’t get past the fact that a pack of wolves had killed

Lynn Hagen

his parents and left him scarred for life. He refused to forget the times
when he was a young pup and had gotten beat up by a few wolves
who had nothing better to do than pick on the little coyote.

There were times in his early adult life when he had run-ins with a

few wolves who thought themselves better and tried to prove it at
Styles’s expense.

No, Styles wasn’t going to let bygones be bygones.
“Breathe,” Kenway said as he straightened. “You were having

such a good morning.”

Styles hated that his morning was ruined. He wasn’t laid back like

Reese and he wasn’t friendly like Kenway. It wasn’t that Styles was a
sourpuss, but whenever he thought of the things that had happened to
him in life, his blood always boiled.

Styles turned away, glancing at a shelf filled with fresh baked

bread, trying to lasso his anger and rein it in. As he had done most of
his life, he shoved the toxic emotions to the pit of his being and then
turned back toward Kenway, nodding toward the box in the guy’s
hands, and getting away from the subject of wolves. “Finished?”

He took a sip of his coffee, ignoring Kenway’s assessing eyes,

hoping the man dropped the subject. He knew the buffalo shifter
cared, but there were just some things Styles didn’t want to talk about.

“Yep.” Kenway closed the lid and set the box on the counter.

Styles handed the man the twenty that his boss had given him the
night before. “Coffee is on the house.”

Styles grinned, forgetting his momentary anger as he gave

Kenway a quick wink, raising his cup at the same time. “Giving me
freebees?”

Kenway shook his head, but Styles could see the humor in the

man’s expression. “Don’t get used to it. Since this is the first time
you’ve stepped foot in here, I’ll give it to you for free. You pay the
next time.”

Styles once again felt guilty that he had never visited Sweet

Delight before. But he wasn’t a sweet eater and he always had to be at

Loving Styles

work at the crack of dawn. He glanced around the shop, nodding in
approval. “It’s a great place you have here, Kenway. You and Ross
have done good for yourselves.”

“Why, thank you,” Ross said as he walked out into the shop from

a small door to Styles’s right. “I’m glad you finally came to see the
place.”

Styles liked Ross. Even though the man was a vampire, he was

pretty cool people. Ross was the most androgynous man Styles had
ever met, but that only added to his character. The guy also won a
shitload of brownie points for the way he treated Kenway. Styles
always saw them at home, taking care of one another, smooching, and
damn if they didn’t look blissful.

“Try this.” Kenway slid a piece of buttered bread onto a small

paper plate and handed it to Styles. “I know you don’t like sweets, but
the bread is pretty damn good here.”

“That’s because we lucked out with Baker and Robby,” Ross said.

Styles didn’t know who they were talking about, but he took the plate.
The bread did look delicious. He could feel the warmth of the plate
and see the butter melting, making Styles’s mouth water.

Before he could take a bite, a short, slim guy with blondish-brown

hair and hazel eyes walked from the back. Styles stared at the man,
thinking how damn cute the guy was. Styles felt his blood begin to
simmer and his body tingle when the man cocked his head to the side,
one dimple showing when he smiled.

Styles was riveted to the spot as the guy winked at him. He gave a

low chuckle, liking that the smaller man had such confidence to
openly flirt. The scrawny guy cocked an eyebrow at Styles and he saw
a glimmer of amusement in those entrancing hazel eyes.

“Wow,” Ross said, almost breaking the spell. “I can feel the

attraction as if it were a damn breathing entity.”

A frisson of nervous energy passed through Styles. He set the

plate down, appreciating the gorgeous perfection—because the man
was, he definitely was, hell, he really was—but mostly because the

Lynn Hagen

stranger was so focused on him. Styles was instantly aroused and that
was something that had never really happened before. Not this
instantaneously.

“Uh, Styles,” Kenway began as he waved a hand in front of

Styles’s face. “That’s Robby, my head baker.”

The man might be slim, but he was pure male and was flirting

with him. Styles’s grin widened, as he felt his libido go crazy. He
took a step forward, ready to ask the guy out when he caught Robby’s
scent.

A heavy lid slammed down on what he was feeling, his senses

putting up walls all around him. But to his dismay, his cock was still
hard in his jeans.

Robby was a fucking wolf.
Figures.
How could he have been attracted to—the coffee cup dropped

from Styles’s hand, hitting the floor as his breath caught in his lungs,
a second, more powerful scent invading him.

“Oh shit,” Kenway said as he came around the counter, pushing at

Robby. “Get back into the kitchen.”

A rough growl ripped from Styles’s lips as he stared menacingly

at his mate. There was no goddamn way fate had given him a fucking
wolf. There had to be a mistake—a huge one.

“But why?” Robby looked from Kenway over to Styles, his

blondish-brown brows pulled together.

“Because he is about to attack you,” Ross said as his eyes widened

and he stepped in Styles’s path. “And not in a good way.”

Robby’s hazel eyes filled with utter bafflement. “But he’s my

mate. Why would he attack me?”

“Fuck!” Kenway cursed loudly before literally picking Robby up

and taking him into the kitchen when Styles felt his canines descend.

“Now, Styles,” Ross began as he held his hands up. “Don’t do

anything rash.”

Loving Styles

Styles turned and slammed his fist into the display case, the thick

glass shattering as rage filled him to overflowing. He paid no
attention to the way his hand was bleeding as he stared murderously
toward the kitchen door.

Snatching the box of donuts up from the counter, Styles headed

toward the door and walked outside.

He got far away from the bakery and then walked to the side of

the bike shop where he pressed his back into the wall. Styles rested
his head against the wood, glancing up toward the cloudless sky as he
let go of his rage and let the knowledge that his mate was a wolf sink
in.

He thought about that single dimple, those big hazel eyes, and that

short, blondish-brown hair. His heart began to hurt knowing that
Robby was the very same breed he hated with a vengeance. Why
would fate do that to him?

Sometimes you don’t get what you want, but what you need. The

words made sense to him now. Somehow the alpha had known that
Robby was Styles’s mate.

Don’t give up on him. It’ll be the worst mistake of your life.
Shaking his head, Styles glanced at his feet, wondering if the

alpha was right. He knew what a rare find a mate was. But he couldn’t
seem to get past the fact that Robby was a wolf. The remembered way
that Robby had smiled at Styles was like a punch to his gut now that
he knew the truth.

It had been the sexiest smile that Styles had ever seen.
But it would be the last time Styles would see that smile because

he wasn’t going anywhere near the man again.

Robby was a wolf, Styles’s sworn enemy, and he wasn’t going to

make any exceptions.

Not even for his mate.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Two

“Uh, what in the hell was that all about?” Robby asked as he

walked out of the kitchen, seeing Kenway and Ross cleaning up the
broken glass. Baker was helping, sweeping up the shards from the
floor.

The stranger had been his mate. Robby had felt that deep in his

soul. His wolf had howled to get free and go after the man. So why
did the guy have such a violent reaction when he found out Robby
was his mate? It made absolutely no sense to him.

“We need to talk.” Kenway pointed toward the office, leaving his

mate and Baker to clean the mess up. Robby wanted to help them, but
he wanted answers as well. That was the most violent reaction he had
ever witnessed to someone finding their mate and he wanted to know
why his mate had lost his mind.

Heading into Kenway’s office, Robby took a seat and waited for

his boss to start talking. He had wanted to knock the man out for
pulling him away from his mate, but Robby had worked with Kenway
for some time now. He knew there had to be a reason that the buffalo
shifter had forcefully moved him into the kitchen against his will.
That wasn’t like Kenway.

Taking a seat behind the desk, Kenway ran his hand over his head,

shaking it a few times before he glanced up at Robby. “I’m really
fucking sorry that Styles is your mate.”

Well, damn. That was pretty harsh. “Why?” he asked, his tone

brisk. He didn’t appreciate the way Kenway was acting, like his mate
was some sort of mass murderer. But at least now he knew the guy’s
name.

Loving Styles

Styles.
He could scent that Styles was coyote. Robby liked that his mate

was a different breed of shifter. But he had a feeling that was a bad
thing. Gee, what makes you think that? Maybe because Styles busted
a very thick piece of glass.

Giving a heavy sigh, Kenway sat up straight. “There is no easy

way to say this, Robby.” His boss looked him straight in his eyes and
said, “Styles hates wolves with a deep passion.”

Robby stiffened, his posture going rigid as his lips parted. A

sudden coldness hit his core at Kenway’s words as his wolf rebelled
at the idea that his mate hated him. He felt dizzy at the knowledge. He
lowered his head, pressing his lips together. He had done nothing
wrong and shouldn’t be held accountable for someone else’s slights
against Styles.

“I know this is disappointing,” Kenway continued. “But—”
“Why should I be disappointed?” Even though his heart felt like it

was shrinking. He lifted his head, staring directly at his boss.

“Because Styles is going to refuse you, has refused you,” Kenway

replied, confusion in his blue eyes.

“I’m not giving up on him.” Pure confidence filled his voice. “He

may hate wolves, but he’s my mate. Whether Styles wants to face that
fact or not, I’m not going to let him toss me aside like trash. He’ll be
mine, Kenway.”

A wide smile spread across the man’s face as he dipped his head

in acknowledgment. “Good for you, Robby.” And then Kenway’s
features grew serious, fine lines etching around his eyes and mouth.
“Just be careful. He has a lot of rage inside of him.”

Robby had witnessed that rage. He had been glancing out of the

small window that lay in the center of the door, watching as his mate
shattered the display. It had been the most violent scene he had
witnessed. “Can I ask why he hates wolves?”

Kenway sat back and gazed at Robby. “His parents were killed by

wolves. Styles watched it happen. He was also scarred by those very

Lynn Hagen

same wolves. His legs are pretty fucked up. He’s also had a few run-
ins with some unsavory men who happened to be—”

“Wolves,” Robby finished for Kenway. Jeez, no wonder Styles

hated his kind. But Robby hadn’t been the one who had hurt Styles
and he was determined to show his mate that not all wolves were evil.

“Yep.” Kenway nodded. “It’s kind of hard to like a breed that has

done you wrong your entire life.”

No shit. “I’m still not giving up.”
Kenway inclined his dark head. “If you need time off, just let me

know.”

Robby had never been the type to back down. He had left his pack

to strike out on his own, had put himself through culinary school
while working two jobs to support himself. He didn’t let anything
stand in his way.

And he wasn’t about to let Styles stand in his way of them

becoming a mated couple. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that
this was going to be easy. Styles had a lot of rage inside of him and
Robby was going to have to find a way to get around that and
hopefully help the man heal.

Styles was his and he was very determined to make the coyote see

how important that was…to both of them. “I’ll need three weeks off
so I can kidnap him and take him to a remote place.”

Kenway gaped at him.
Robby chuckled. “I’m just kidding, mostly. But I appreciate you

giving me leeway to pursue my mate.”

The way his boss was looking at him made Robby smile.
“Dude, I’ve never met a more driven man. You aren’t going to let

his feelings deter you in the least, are you?”

“Nope,” Robby said as he stood. “Why should I let him throw

away our happiness because of what some jackasses did to him?
Styles deserves his chance to be happy like everyone else and I’m
going to make sure he finds it, even if I have to beat him over the
head to show him the way.”

Loving Styles

“And here I was feeling bad for you.” Kenway chuckled. “Now

I’m feeling a bit sorry for Styles.”

Robby clenched his jaw. “Don’t feel sorry for him, Kenway. He is

about to get a very rude awakening. He may have been fucked over
by my breed, but that doesn’t mean I deserve to suffer for those
crimes. He will be mine.”

Kenway gave him a smile that said he was looking forward to this.

“He works at Santiago Cycles and lives with me and a few other men
at the Manchester place out on route—”

“I know where it is.” Robby headed toward the door. “I’m taking

the rest of the day off. I think Baker can handle the work.” He didn’t
wait for an answer. Robby may be scrawny and not an average height
for men, but he was a force to be reckoned with. He wasn’t sure how
he had been slighted when it came to the build of his body, but he was
a true alpha at heart.

He just had to make sure Styles didn’t try to kill him.
“I’m heading out,” he said to Ross and Baker. “If you need me,

just call.”

“You’re going after him, aren’t you?” Ross asked.
“Damn right,” he answered in a self-assured tone as he walked out

of the bakery. Instead of heading to Santiago Cycles, Robby walked
to Floral Fragrances. He smiled when he walked in, seeing Randy and
Blair.

“Hey, Robby,” Blair called out when he entered the shop. Robby

liked coming here to get the things he needed for his garden. He had
been fixing the place up that he had bought, putting a botanical garden
in the back. It was coming together nicely. The backyard almost
looked like a garden someone would have as an exhibit, but he liked
how enclosed it made his yard feel and the beauty it brought to his
place.

“How are things going?” he asked as he walked over to the

counter and shook Blair’s, and then Randy’s, hand. He liked Randy.
The guy was a bit shy, but he always smiled when he saw Robby. The

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man was a wealth of information when it came to what plants or
flowers he needed for his garden.

“Come to pick something up?” Randy asked as he set a pair of

pruners down on the counter.

“Yep,” Robby answered. “I need a bouquet.”
Blair’s orange-brown eyes lit up. “Oh, Robby has a boyfriend.”
“No,” he corrected. “I have a mate. I want to send him some

flowers.”

“You found your mate?” Randy asked in excitement. “Who?”
“Styles.”
Blair gaped at him, his eyes growing wide. Robby was beginning

to worry that he would have to give the man CPR if he didn’t breathe
soon. “You’re kidding right? He hates—” The man glanced away, as
if he didn’t want to finish his sentence.

“Wolves,” Robby supplied. “Yeah, Kenway filled me in. What do

you have that I can send?” He began to look around the shop, his eyes
falling on some pretty tulips. He didn’t want to send roses. Those
were overrated. Robby wanted something different. “How about a
dozen of these?”

“You are going to send a man who doesn’t like you some

flowers?” Randy asked as he moved from behind the counter.

“What better way to break the ice?” Robby asked. He had to start

somewhere with Styles. Flowers probably wouldn’t work, but it
would let the man know that he wasn’t backing down. That was all
Robby was trying to do, send a message to the guy that he couldn’t
run. Robby wasn’t going to let him.

Randy shrugged his slim shoulders. “If that’s what you want to

do.” He plucked the flowers from the shelf and walked over to the
counter. “Did you want to send a card with these?”

Robby stood there for a moment, wondering what he should put in

the card. He grabbed it and a pen from out of a cup and began to
scribble. Hate me all you want, but you are mine and I’m coming for

Loving Styles

you. If you run from me, then I’ll kidnap you and fuck you until the
cows come home. Hope you have plenty of lube, buddy.

That should do it. He wasn’t going to get all sweet and

sentimental, nor was he going to beg. Robby believed in getting
straight to the point. The message was as blunt as he could make it.

He handed the card to Randy, seeing the curiosity in the man’s

eyes.

“Go ahead and read it.” Blair was probably going to read it as

soon as Robby’s back was turned anyway. Randy and Blair gazed
over to the card. Blair burst out laughing, holding his side as Randy
looked as if here were going to pass out.

“You’re delivering these,” Randy said to Blair. “There is no way

I’m getting caught up in this.”

Blair plucked the card from Randy’s hand. “I wouldn’t pass this

opportunity up. Get the bouquet together so I can take them over to
the bike shop.”

Randy shook his head and then started to arrange the tulips.

Robby would love to be a fly on the wall when Styles received the
flowers. The man was more than likely going to throw them out, just
as soon as he tore them apart.

But again, baby steps. Robby was very assertive, but he knew he

couldn’t change Styles overnight. He was going to have to start out
slow and work up to the bigger things.

“Wait right here,” Blair said as he snatched the finished bouquet

from Randy’s hands. “I’ll let you know what happens.”

Robby knew he wasn’t going to stay in the store while Blair

delivered the flowers. He wasn’t going to let Styles see him, but he
wanted to see the reaction for himself.

He followed Blair out of the floral shop and around the corner.

“Have him come to the front of the shop, Blair. I can watch him from
a hiding spot outside.” There was a big glass window up front of
Santiago Cycles, and it would give Robby an unobstructed view.

Lynn Hagen

“You are so damn diabolical,” Blair said before Robby stayed

back as the guy walked into the bike shop. Law was standing at the
front counter. He watched the timber wolf walk toward the back. A
second later Styles appeared.

The man looked confused as he grabbed the flowers. Robby held

his breath—even though he knew what the outcome was going to be.
Styles grabbed the card and read it. Blair leaned against the counter,
his head turning slightly so he could wink Robby’s way.

He had been waiting for Styles to shred the flowers, to start

cursing and threatening Robby’s life. But the guy just walked to the
back of the shop, out of sight, the flowers still gripped in his hand.

Maybe he was waiting to be alone before he destroyed the tulips.

Curious beyond belief, Robby tiptoed to the back of the shop and
peered around the corner. There were sliding doors that closed the
back of the shop. But today they were wide open, providing fresh air
to whoever was back there.

He could see Styles standing by a counter, staring fixedly at the

tulips, as if he didn’t know what to do with them. His mate reached
down and caressed a pedal, his expression tortured. Robby’s throat
tightened at the way Styles was staring at the tulips. His heart went
out to the guy.

More than ever, Robby wanted to go to Styles and hug the man,

telling him that he would never hurt Styles. But he knew he wouldn’t
be welcomed right now.

Styles set the bouquet on the counter and then grabbed a wrench.

Robby quickly pulled back so he wouldn’t be seen. His heart was
pumping painfully in his chest as he moved to the front of the store.

“Well?” Blair asked as Robby met the man on the sidewalk.

“What happened?”

Robby shook his head, confused at Styles’s different reactions. He

had gone insane when he found out that Robby was his mate, yet he
had accepted the flowers as if they were the most precious things in
the world.

Loving Styles

He wasn’t sure what to make of the guy. “He didn’t destroy

them.”

Blair grabbed Robby’s arm, snaking it around his own as they

walked back to the floral shop. “All kidding aside, Robby, you
shouldn’t give up on the guy. I heard he had been given the short end
of things as far as wolves go. But being mated for a very long time
myself, I can tell you that the fight to get him will be well worth it.”

Robby knew that. But he was still feeling a bit strange about how

Styles had looked at the tulips. The man hadn’t even snarled when he
read the card.

“By the way, you still owe me for the flowers. Frisco isn’t in the

habit of giving them away.”

He and Blair made it back to the floral shop, Robby paying for the

tulips before he took off. Instead of going back to work, he headed
home. Kenway had given him leeway and Robby wasn’t trying to
take advantage of that, but he needed time to think about his next
move.

Styles’s reaction had caught him off guard. Robby’s body coiled

up with arousal, a raw and hungry feeling starting to fill him. He
wanted Styles now, wanted him sexually. But that wasn’t going to
happen anytime soon.

Robby pulled into his driveway and parked his car. He walked

back down the drive and checked his mail. He pulled out a slim
manila envelope. Checking to see who it was from, Robby realized
that it had been shipped to the wrong house. It wasn’t even the right
city.

Ah well, he would take it to the post office tomorrow. Today he

needed to gather his thoughts and figure out his next game plan. As he
walked up the driveway, Robby pulled out his cell phone, glancing at
the caller ID.

It was Baker.

Lynn Hagen

Flipping his phone open, Robby walked into the house and tossed

the envelope onto the counter in the kitchen. “Don’t tell me you need
me back there already.”

“Hardly,” Baker replied. “I just wanted to check to see if you were

still breathing.”

“I guess you have your answer since I’m talking to you on the

phone.” Robby walked out back and grabbed the hose, ready to water
his garden. He loved spending time out here. It was such a peaceful
place he had created.

“What are you going to do about Styles?” Baker asked. “I thought

he was going to kill you.”

So did Robby for a hot second.
“Reno is coyote and he didn’t react that way. Of course, he

stalked me and made me run, but he never looked at me like he
wanted to snap my neck.”

“Are you trying to cheer me up?” Robby asked. “Because if you

are, you suck at it. I don’t need to be reminded about how he tore the
bakery apart.”

“He didn’t technically tear the bakery apart. He just shattered a

very expensive piece of glass that Kenway is going to charge him
for.”

Robby turned the hose on and then walked through the garden,

watering as he talked. “Did you call for anything important?”

“I guess me making sure you’re still alive isn’t important.” Baker

hung up.

Robby tucked the phone into his jeans as he slowly strode through

the plants and flowers, his mind wandering back to Styles and his
expression in the back of the bike shop. He was dying to know what
the man had been thinking when looking at the tulips.

He wasn’t sure if he would ever find out. Styles was a complex

man. Robby could tell just from the small encounter with the guy. He
was determined to get through to the guy, but worried that Styles

Loving Styles

would flat-out refuse him and not budge. There was always that
possibility. Sometimes persistence did not pay off.

Robby decided to send Styles a bouquet of flowers every day this

week. He would change it up though. Tulips were pretty, but maybe
tomorrow he would send carnations. If Styles accepted them, then
Robby would take the next step and bring the man a lunch. He
wouldn’t stay, just drop it off.

Baby steps, he reminded himself once more. Tearing down years

of hate was going to be exhausting, but well worth it in the end.

He hoped.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Three

Styles was angry with himself. He hated that he was feeling

fevered toward Robby just for sending him flowers. Did the guy think
that pretty bouquets could make him forget a lifetime of betrayal from
the wolf breed?

Robby had been sending flowers all week and Styles wanted to

shout for the man to stop…He just couldn’t bring himself to do that.
No one had ever sent him flowers before. No one had ever sent him
anything before.

“Hey,” Law called from upfront. “Did you order lunch?”
Was Law offering? That would be the first time one of the

Santiago brothers had offered. It seemed a little out of character for
Law to do something like that. “No, why?”

Law appeared in the back room, a box lunch in his hand. His eyes

flickered to the plain white box and then he handed it to Styles. “This
was just delivered for you.”

“How do you know there’s not a bomb inside?” Styles grabbed it.

He didn’t like Law, but hated him less than he hated Tryck. The guy
didn’t fuck with him like Tryck did. He was decent toward Styles.

That still didn’t make them friends.
“Yeah, as many people as you piss off, maybe I should have

called the bomb squad first.” The wolf walked out of the back,
leaving Styles to stare at the box in his hand. He could smell chicken.
It really seemed to be a lunch.

Tossing the box on the counter, Styles grabbed the rag from his

back pocket and wiped his hands. He had just finished up with his
latest repair and had some downtime. Since he didn’t have anything

Loving Styles

else to do for the rest of the day, he knew Law was going to tell him
to clock out.

That had been their arrangement. That was something they had

agreed upon when Styles first got this job. At the time Styles had
insisted. He didn’t want to hang around here with wolves if he didn’t
have anything to do.

It had been over a year since he started working here. He wanted

to tell the brothers that he would work full shifts now, but Styles’s
pride wouldn’t let him ask for the extra hours. He knew he was
fucked up in the head. No one needed to point that out to him.

But what was done was done. Styles began to clean up the repair

shop, putting the tools back where they needed to go, but he kept
smelling the damn chicken. His stomach growled and Styles decided
that he should eat the lunch, since it was delivered. Why let it go to
waste.

Flipping the lid open, Styles spotted one piece of chicken and a

single biscuit. But that wasn’t what caught his attention. There was
writing on the inside of the lid. Someone had left him a message.

No, not someone. Styles knew exactly who had done this. Robby.

Why couldn’t the man just leave him alone? Images of a naked Robby
popped into Styles’s head and he growled because those images were
so disturbingly hot.

He curled his fingers in, pissed that he allowed those thoughts to

enter his mind. His eyes dropped down to the writing on the box and
Styles read it.

This is just one piece of chicken. If you want to see the rest, come

to the diner at five p.m. Come alone and no chicken will be hurt. I’ll
know if someone is following you. Don’t even think about calling the
FBI in on this one or I’ll tear every piece of chicken apart.

Before he could stop it from happening, the side of Styles’s mouth

twitched from a smile that was straining to break free. He closed the
lid, hating himself for being impressed with Robby’s imagination and
persistence.

Lynn Hagen

He wasn’t going to go.
“If you are done, you can head out,” Law said from the hallway,

his grey eyes landing on the box. “Was it a bomb?”

Styles shook his head as he grabbed the plain white box and

headed to the time clock. “No.”

“Maybe next time, alma perdida,” Law said as he turned and

walked away.

Styles would have gotten angry at Law’s words if he hadn’t seen

the teasing in the man’s eyes before he had turned away. The guy had
been trying to break the ice between them since Styles had started
working here. Styles never let his guard down and didn’t allow
anyone to get close—especially not a wolf.

Styles walked out of the bay in the back, heading toward his

motorcycle. He started to toss the lunch in the Dumpster, but at the
last second, pulled back. Just like the flowers, Styles couldn’t bring
himself to toss away anything Robby had sent him.

With a fierce growl, Styles lunged the lunch high into the air,

watching as it hit the building next door and then landed in a scattered
mess on the ground. He spun around, refusing to go pick it up.

He really, really hated himself in that moment for allowing Robby

to charm him, to get under his skin. He swung his leg over his bike,
started it, and then tore from the back alley, heading home.

As he rode, Styles ignored the speed limits, ignored the fact that

he was driving way too fast. There was a deep ache in his chest and at
the moment, in the span of time he was drowning in, nothing mattered
to him. There was a possibility that he could wreck his bike and kill
himself in the process.

It didn’t matter.
Nothing mattered.
He was spiraling out of control. His head was all fucked up, his

thoughts scattered, his anger boiling him on the inside. He was not
going to be mated to a wolf. Styles was not going to be charmed by a
man with blondish-brown hair and big hazel eyes.

Loving Styles

He made it home without becoming a part of the pavement. Styles

parked his bike in the back and walked in the house through the side
door. He bypassed everything and went straight to his bedroom where
he paced back and forth on the wood floor.

How in the hell could he allow Robby to charm him? What had he

been thinking? Robby was a wolf. There would be no charming, no
dating, no romance, and no claiming. Styles became angrier when his
cock perked up at the thought of taking Robby right there on his bed.

The anger became so hot that Styles damn near ripped his clothes

off, tossing everything aside as he walked into his bathroom. He
needed a shower. He needed to cool off and calm down.

Instead of soaking in the tub, Styles walked straight into the

shower area and turned the water on. He had two showerheads, both
sprays hitting him at once. He pressed the palms of his hands into the
marble wall and lowered his head, wishing he could wash away all the
hurt, all the pain, and every last damn memory he had of every one of
those fucking wolves.

Suddenly Styles felt someone watching him. He didn’t bother to

turn around because he knew who it was. “Go away, Reese.”

“Not when I can feel you hurting, my brother.” Reese’s deep, rich

voice filled the bathroom, and Styles was somewhat put at ease. Reese
had always been there for him. He had known the polar bear shifter
longer than he knew any of the other men that lived in this house.

Reese had been the one to find him when his parents were killed

and nursed Styles back to health. Reese had been the one who nearly
lost his life helping Styles fight off the pack of wolves who attacked
him in his early adulthood.

And it had been Reese who had fought at his side when those

fucking grey wolves tried to destroy their small pack, making them
run to Brac Village in the first place for help. The man was a fucking
damn good friend to have, but Styles didn’t want to talk to anyone
right now.

Lynn Hagen

It wasn’t that Reese was a superhero or anything like that. The

man was just one hell of a friend. That’s who he was.

“Kenway tells me you found your mate.”
“And Kenway has a big fucking mouth,” Styles replied angrily.

He finally turned to see Reese leaning against the counter, his arms
crossed over his chest. The polar bear shifter didn’t know the meaning
of boundaries. Styles never faulted the man. Hell, there were times
when Styles needed a friend and somehow Reese knew and was there
for him.

This may have been one of those times, but Styles didn’t want to

talk about anything right now. He didn’t want to tell anyone about
Robby. Styles didn’t want to talk about the man.

“Fate gave you a wolf shifter for a reason, Styles. It’s time to heal

and let the past go.”

Styles spun around, gnashing his teeth at the large man. “Fuck

you, Reese!”

A tight smile formed on Reese’s face. “You’re not my type.” The

man didn’t seem to ever get flustered or upset about anything. There
wasn’t a time when Styles could remember ever seeing Reese pissed.

Okay, that wasn’t true. Reese became demonic when he was

fighting. But other than that, the man kept the coolest composure
Styles had ever seen. He knew that Reese had his own inner demons,
but the man never let it show.

He wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
Turning the water off, Styles turned and grabbed the towel Reese

had brought in, wrapping it around his waist. “Look, I appreciate what
you are trying to do, but I won’t have a wolf shifter for a mate.”

“Too bad,” Reese said as his brown eyes followed Styles. “I

checked him out at the bakery and I must say, he is definitely one
good-looking ass man.”

Styles cut his eyes at Reese, hating the fact that his anger was

coming back because Reese thought Robby was hot. Reese shouldn’t

Loving Styles

be looking at his mate. Damn it! Robby was not his mate, nor would
he ever be.

But jealously sank its claws into Styles. Reese was a damn good

friend to have, but the man was also a voyeuristic man to the truest
sense. He also didn’t bat an eye being around his friends when they
were naked, like now. Styles knew that Reese wouldn’t think twice
about seeing Robby naked and that just pissed him off.

Reese gave a deep laugh. “You are mad because you think I want

to see you two having sex, that I want to see this gorgeous man naked.
If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be seething on the inside.”

Styles moved until he was standing in Reese’s face, their noses

almost touching. “Stay out of this.”

A fine tic started in Reese’s jaw. He knew that—although Reese

was kinky as fuck—the man didn’t like his personal space crowded.
Styles took a deep breath and backed off. He shouldn’t be taking his
anger out on his friend.

His feelings were close to the surface. Styles needed to get a grip.

“Stop staring at my towel, pervert.”

Reese grinned. “I told you that you’re not my type.”
“Yeah, I’m not slim, blond, or twinkish in any way.”
Reese moved from the counter and headed toward the door. “Just

get dressed. Xavier keeps asking for his Uncle Size.”

That made Styles chuckle. The little half fey, half human couldn’t

pronounce Styles’s name for shit. Ruttford often came by because he
and Reese were good friends. For some damn strange reason, Xavier
had taken a liking to Styles. The kid kept calling him Size. Styles
liked the nickname—but only when Xavier called him that. He would
kick anyone else’s ass if they even attempted to use it.

After dressing, Styles went downstairs to see Diablo, Steele, and

Ruttford on the back deck at the table. Steele was holding his
swaddled son as Xavier played in the grass. As soon as he walked
outside, Xavier squealed, shouting, “Size!”

Lynn Hagen

Styles dropped in the grass, picking up one of the toys as he began

to play with the little guy, feeling a peace finally settling over him.

* * * *

Had he really expected Styles to show? Yeah, he had. Robby

pushed from the booth, giving up after waiting one full hour past the
time he had told Styles to be here.

“He didn’t show?” Tangee asked as he brought Robby another

water.

“How do you know I was waiting on someone?”
Tangee smiled. “We used to say that nothing stays a secret in the

Den. But now us guys at the Den say, nothing stays a secret in the
village.”

That wasn’t comforting. Robby wasn’t sure he liked everyone

knowing the trouble he was having with Styles. He knew Styles
would probably have a fit if the coyote knew that everyone was fully
aware of what was—or wasn’t, to be more precise—going on between
them.

“I’ll catch you later.” Robby walked out of the diner, feeling

dejected. He knew he was going to have a long battle on his hands,
but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to feel wounded.

It had been a week since he discovered that he had a mate and

Styles hadn’t budged one bit. Maybe it was time to turn up the heat a
tad. Robby had concluded that Styles had gone ballistic in the bakery
because finding out that his mate was a wolf had been shocking.

Styles had plenty of time to get over that shock. Maybe it was

time Robby paid him a visit. He knew where the Manchester place
was. Robby just hoped that Styles didn’t try to kill him.

He drove over there, but the closer he got to the place, the less

confident Robby became. He wasn’t going to give up on Styles, but
all kinds of scenarios played in his mind on how this could turn out.

Loving Styles

Pulling into the drive, Robby just sat there for a moment,

wondering what he was going to say to the man. Well, there was only
one way to find out. Robby eased the driver’s door open, glancing up
at the house.

It was beige with white trim, flowers decorating a lot of the

surface. There were even pink ones lining the front sidewalk. The
lawn was well manicured, and the place looked beautiful at night, the
first and second floor porch lit up.

His palms began to sweat as he walked up the front walkway and

climbed up the steps to the porch. He stood there worrying that Styles
would tell him to fuck off, or worse, attack him.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
Before he could turn and leave, the front door opened. A man with

pretty brown skin and brown eyes stared down at him, his face
inscrutable. “Can I help you, Robby?”

Wait, he remembered this guy. He had come to the bakery a time

or two. What was his name? He thought hard until he remembered the
man’s name was Reese. “Is Styles home?”

Reese moved outside, making Robby take a few steps back. The

guy closed the door behind him and then leaned against the house,
crossing his arms over his chest. “Does he know you’re coming?”

“No.”
Reese shook his head. “I didn’t think so.”
The long sigh the man let out wasn’t promising. At that moment,

Robby wished the earth would open up and swallow him whole. Even
though he had a great amount of determination and was driven, he
still had moments of doubt, moments that he wished he didn’t have to
live through, or ever want to remember.

Like the time he was taking his test on how to properly prepare

crème brûlée and had set the tablecloth on fire, failing his test
miserably. But that wasn’t as big a moment as this was. This was life
altering right now. Styles accepting or rejecting him was going to
decide how Robby lived the rest of his life.

Lynn Hagen

A little melodramatic, but true. A shifter only got one mate. If

Styles continued to reject him, Robby would eventually be able to
move on and date other men. He might even settle down with one of
them. But none would complete him the way Styles would. None
would become a part of his very soul.

“You do realize that he will probably tell you to go to hell?”

Reese asked.

“Probably.” Robby nodded. “But I’m not giving up. He is my

mate, Reese. Would you give up on yours?” He wasn’t sure if Reese
even had a mate, but he was trying to make a point.

“Not in a million years,” Reese admitted. “But I want you to be

fully aware that getting him to even acknowledge that you are his
mate is going to be damn hard.”

“I know his story,” Robby said. He was tired of everyone pretty

much warning him away from Styles, yet telling him not to give up.
The contradictions were migraine worthy. “Can I just see him
please?”

“I’ll take you to him,” Reese said, “but I’m going to stick around

to make sure he”—Reese cleared his throat—“acts civilized.”

Whatever. Robby just wanted to see the guy. He didn’t want

anyone else around, but wasn’t going to argue. Reese just might tell
him no if he protested. The man opened the door and led him through
a living room with a red couch and a treasure chest for a coffee table.

They passed through the room and then through a kitchen. Robby

stopped short when he saw his mate stretched out on the lawn, playing
with a toddler. This was a side of Styles he never thought to see.

“He’s not a bad man,” Reese said softly beside him. “He’s just

been given a really bad hand his entire life.”

Robby’s heart ached at the smile on Styles’s face, the way he

pretended to be hurt when the toddler smacked his chest. Styles was
clutching his chest, groaning, and then his arms fell wide, his tongue
sticking out the side of his mouth.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Four

Maverick sat at the table, the other leaders gathered. He was

pissed that he had to be here. Him, Cecil, and the boys—Xavier,
Nevada, Maddox, and Matthew—were supposed to be going to the
movies to see the latest Pixar film. He would rather be there than
sitting here. It was “boys’ day out” and he was missing it.

“I’ve been told that Kenyon was spotted in the demon realm,”

Panahasi said from the end of the table. “I’m still trying to track him
down to verify this.”

Somehow Maverick knew the man didn’t have to track a damn

thing down. The guy knew things that no one else knew. The memory
of seeing Panahasi and Ceri in the alley still played on his mind from
time to time. The Demon Warrior was more than he let on. But
Maverick guessed everyone had their secrets.

“How the hell did he get there?” Zeus asked. “How would he

know how to get in through the Black River or did someone help
him?”

“All very good questions,” Christian said. “But we have answers

for none.” He turned toward the table. “We also need to make the law
stricter about interfering in mating. That disaster with Turi should
have never happened. His uncle should not have gone against our
ruling. I think it needs to be enforced.”

Maverick agreed. Egon had never raped Turi when he kidnapped

him. The man had drugged Turi and had him in one of the private
huts. He never wanted to see something like that again. Abuse of any
kind curled Maverick’s stomach. “Agreed.”

Loving Styles

“I don’t,” Ahm said. “What if it is a misguided brother who thinks

his sibling is being harmed? What if the person interfering doesn’t
have malicious intent?”

“Then we will hear things case by case. But if the person

interfering is openly threatening the mated couple, kill them
immediately,” Dante added. “We have to send a message that mated
couples, no matter how many are involved, are protected under our
laws.”

Maverick knew Dante was referring to the mated couples in

Zeus’s pack. For some strange reason, the mated always ended up in
threes. He had been surprised when Jason and Nicholas had mated
that a third hadn’t come along. It could be because Jason was now in
his pack. Maverick wasn’t sure.

“The law should be very clear,” Nazaryth stated with grimness.

“Anyone interfering will be dealt with harshly and swiftly. If it is a
caring relative or friend, they need to address the problem to their
alpha, leader, or whatever, but not interfere directly.”

“After all this time,” Christian said with a smile. “We have finally

started acting like a fucking body of leaders. It is about damn time.”

“Does anyone oppose?” Panahasi asked.
The room was silent.
“Then it is law,” Christian stated. “Anyone found interfering with

mating will be killed.”

Maverick held up his hand, shaking his head. “Just as soon as

everyone knows the new law. Give it a month first. That way no one
can say that they were ignorant.” Because Maverick could see
someone using that damn excuse.

“Fair enough,” Christian said. “I’ll have someone record the new

laws as they are set down and have the documents distributed. Until
then, I’ll alert all other vampire covens as well as my own. I expect
you gentlemen to do the same. Reach them all, far and wide, because
in a month’s time, there will be no one who can claim ignorance on
this.”

Lynn Hagen

“Now what about Kenyon?” Zeus asked.
“If he is in my realm, I will find him,” Panahasi said as he shifted

in his seat. The man was hiding something. Maverick would stake his
life on it. There was something in the man’s eyes that said he wasn’t
telling everything.

“When he is found, I want him brought before us, if possible,”

Christian said, his fangs gleaming in the light. “I want to watch him
slowly die for what he has done to my species.”

Panahasi nodded.
“Great,” Maverick said as he stood. “Now I can get back to my

full day of work.”

Christian chuckled. “Yeah, let me know how that new movie is. I

want to take my mates and boys.”

Maverick flipped Christian off before he headed out of the office.

Damn vampire. He didn’t know Maverick that well.

* * * *

Styles felt someone watching him. He knew who it was because

his heart began to beat faster and his canines were making his gums
tingle. Turning his head, Styles locked eyes with Robby. What in the
hell was he doing here?

“Time to go inside, buddy.” Ruttford walked over and scooped

Xavier from the grass as Steele and Diablo stood. The cheetah shifter
glanced down at Styles and gave him a rueful smile. “Give him a
chance. I almost lost out on the best thing of my life from being a
stubborn ass. I don’t want to see you doing the same.”

Styles ignored Steele as the fathers took the two boys inside. He

was tired of everyone telling him to give Robby a chance. None of
them had watched their parents die in front of them. None of them
had scarred legs from their attacker trying to kill them.

Loving Styles

He lay there in the grass, staring up at the fading sun. He wasn’t

going to acknowledge Robby. Styles hadn’t invited the man over. As
a matter of fact, he was pissed as hell that the man was even here.

“Got company,” Reese said loudly.
Styles heard the screen door squeak and knew Robby was coming

out. He tucked his hands behind his head, curling his fingers and as he
clenched his jaw, trying not to scream at the man to fuck off.

One of the wrought iron chairs scraped on the back deck. Robby

had taken a seat. Styles fought to not look over at the guy. That would
only be acknowledging the man and that was something Styles was
not going to do.

“Just so you know, I let the chickens go free.”
Styles could hear the uncertainty in Robby’s tone. The man was

grappling for something to say. His tone was soft, as if trying to talk a
dangerous man down from the ledge. Styles blinked, but continued to
stare at the clouds that were slowly passing by.

“Okay, not really. I ate them. So if you still plan on calling the

FBI, the evidence is gone.”

As hard as he tried, Styles couldn’t hold on to his anger. There

was a war going on inside of him. His coyote was snapping and
snarling, wanting to get free to go to its mate. But the man fought
tooth and nail. His emotions were all over the place. A part of him
hated Robby with a vengeance just for being a wolf. Another part of
him was terrified to let his guard down.

His head was telling him to walk away from this. His heart was

telling him to give Robby a chance.

Sometimes you don’t get what you want, but what you need.
Don’t give up on him. It’ll be the worst mistake of your life.
Give him a chance. I almost lost out on the best thing of my life. I

don’t want to see you doing the same.

Styles swallowed, his head hurting from the kaleidoscope of

emotions and thoughts crashing through him. Why on earth did

Lynn Hagen

Robby have to be a wolf? If he had been any other breed, Styles
would be trying to make this relationship work.

“I’m not giving up on you.” The vow was spoken so softly that

Styles almost hadn’t heard it.

“I will never let you in,” Styles said. “Accept that fact and leave

me alone.”

“No!” Styles heard something slam onto the wrought iron table.

He figured it was Robby’s fist. “You can push me away, threaten to
kick my ass, or even go through with that threat. But I refuse to give
up on us.”

Styles rolled to his hands and feet, narrowing his eyes at Robby as

he curled back his lip. “There is no us. Get that through your fucking
head.”

Robby chuckled, taking Styles by surprise. “Damn, you are so

sexy when you’re being pigheaded. Has anyone ever told you that you
have the prettiest brown eyes?”

Styles wasn’t sure what to say. He wasn’t sure what to think.

Robby wasn’t arguing. They were supposed to be arguing. He wasn’t
allowed to smile or laugh. That wasn’t how arguing worked.

Robby’s hazel eyes twinkled as the corners of his mouth lifted

even higher. “I would love to see you in that position when you’re
naked.”

Styles cocked his head.
“I would love to be under you when you’re in that position, and

naked,” Robby corrected. “I bet you have a killer-ass body.”

Styles growled when he felt the blush wash over his face. What in

the hell was this man doing? Was he insane? Styles was snarling at
the man, letting Robby know that he was ready to attack, and the guy
was talking about sex? “Get out!”

Robby lifted his head toward the sky. “But I’m already outside.”
Styles pushed to his feet, heading toward the back door. He wasn’t

going to stand there and listen to anything else the man had to say.
Robby was a wolf—plain and simple.

Loving Styles

He saw Reese standing just outside the back door and wanted to

strangle the man. He knew the polar bear was the one who had let
Robby in. Styles stopped walking when he saw Reese’s eyes growing
dark with desire. That only meant one thing.

Styles slowly turned to see Robby pulling his shirt off and tossing

it onto the table. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“It’s hot outside, don’t you think?” Robby kicked his shoes off

and then his hand went for the snap of his jeans. He could hear a slow
rumble in Reese’s chest. The man was getting turned on by Robby
stripping.

Styles swallowed hard, refusing to be turned on by what the man

was doing. “Put your fucking clothes back on.”

One blondish-brown brow hiked up as Robby unsnapped the

button and then lowered the zipper. “What, these clothes?”

Styles was finding it hard to breathe. He wanted to turn and walk

away but couldn’t rip his eyes away from what Robby was doing. A
large part of him wanted to ignore the man. But the other half of him,
the carnal, lust-filled man, was hoping the man continued.

Robby reached into the front of his jeans, slowly massaging his

erection. Styles couldn’t see, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly
what the man was doing. “Knock it off,” Styles said, hating that his
voice wasn’t as firm as he wanted it to be. It lacked any heat or
reprimand.

His cock grew hard when Robby tilted his head back and moaned,

his tongue snaking out to glide across his bottom lip. Styles wanted to
bite that lip, to knock Robby’s hand away and finish the job for him.

“Styles.” Robby breathed out his name. “Oh…god…Styles.”
Styles ground his teeth, his eyes drinking in what Robby was

doing, wanting badly to go to the man and help him, to ease his urges
and needs. But he didn’t move, rooted to the spot as he watched,
hating himself for wanting…just flat-out wanting.

Robby’s hand began to move faster and faster, panting heavily

until he cried out, “Styles!” Cum shot from his fist, spurting over his

Lynn Hagen

hand and landing on the deck. Styles was so hard, so ready, and so
damn lost at what to do.

As Robby slowly lowered his head, Styles saw that his hazel eyes

were liquid pools in the fading sunlight. He was like a fucking fallen
angel standing there. The man lifted his hand and licked the cum
clean.

Styles spun around and crashed into Reese. He nearly fell on his

ass. Styles grabbed his friend and shoved him into the house. “Don’t
you dare go anywhere near him,” he said, the threat coming out in a
viscous growl.

“I never go near anyone,” Reese admitted. “I just like to watch.”
Styles took off upstairs. As soon as he cleared his bedroom door,

he pulled his cock free and began a frenzied stroke, thinking about
how Robby had looked as he jacked off. The man had flipped every
damn switch Styles possessed. He kept hearing Robby calling his
name as he orgasmed over and over again.

Fuck! Styles stroked his flesh harder, his fist pounding into his

groin until he arched his back and came all over the wooden floor. He
slammed his eyes closed, hating himself. He wasn’t supposed to take
pleasure from hearing Robby call his name. He wasn’t supposed to
enjoy the knowledge that it was him that Robby had thought about as
he jacked off.

What was wrong with him?
Styles walked to the bathroom and washed his hand. Next he

grabbed a wet towel and cleaned the floor. He tossed the cloth toward
the bathroom and readjusted himself before heading back downstairs.

When he reached the kitchen, he saw Reese standing there talking

with Robby. The man was fully dressed once more. The two were
chatting and smiling. Styles wanted to gouge Reese’s eyes from his
head for witnessing what Robby had done.

But Robby didn’t look remorseful. His eyes slid over to Styles

when he entered the room. The man looked genuinely happy to see

Loving Styles

him. “Since you enjoy Reese’s company so much, why don’t you just
let him fuck you?”

Robby’s face fell, his eyes going bland before he turned and

walked out of the side door. Reese turned toward Styles. For the first
time ever, Styles saw hatred in Reese’s dark brown eyes. “You are a
fucking idiot,” Reese said between clenched teeth. “Since you don’t
know how to treat a gentleman, maybe I will fuck him. I might even
keep him as my own. He sure as hell deserves better than what you
are giving him.”

Before Styles knew what he was doing, he cocked his arm back

and punched Reese right in the nose. The polar bear stumbled back as
the blood spurted down his mouth and chin. He growled, tackling
Styles and taking him down. Reese slammed his fist into Styles’s gut,
and then cocked his arm back again for another blow.

“Whoa!” Recker said as he walked into the kitchen. “What the

fuck are you two doing?” The rhino shifter grabbed Styles and pulled
him from under Reese like he was a rag doll, throwing him against the
wall. “Have you two lost your damn minds?”

Reese stormed from the kitchen without saying a word.
“What is going on?” Recker asked as he turned toward Styles.
Styles clenched his jaw, turning his head and refusing to answer

the man.

“Fine, kill each other if you want, but don’t do it in the damn

house.” Recker walked out, leaving Styles alone in the kitchen. He
still had an urge to go hunt Reese down and finish the job. Just the
thought of Reese touching Robby…

Styles leaned his arms on the marble countertop. He cursed

himself for what he had said to Robby. He hadn’t meant it. He had
just been so damn angry that Robby was affecting him in ways that he
shouldn’t be, that he had taken it out on the man.

He was also pissed that Robby was smiling and talking with

Reese. The man should be just as miserable as Styles was. But it
seemed Robby couldn’t be swayed. The guy was determined.

Lynn Hagen

Turning the faucet on, Styles splashed some water on his face,

hoping the coolness helped to calm him down. He didn’t think
anything would help.

“Push him into the arms of another man again and there will be

nothing you can say or do about it when you lose him.”

Styles turned to see Diablo standing in the doorway. “What do

you know?”

Diablo shrugged. “Not much. But I heard you telling your mate to

fuck another man. Don’t get mad and attack Reese because he is
willing to take what you don’t want.”

Styles turned the faucet off, refusing to talk any further with

Diablo.

“The Ultionem has passed a stricter law on mating,” Diablo stated.

“Anyone interfering will be killed. It seems to me that Reese wasn’t
interfering—not when you offered him your mate. Be very careful,
Styles. You just might get what you are wishing for.” The man turned
and walked away.

Styles gazed at the empty doorway for a second before heading

out to the back deck. He stopped, gazing at the spot where Robby had
given his show. Styles walked over to the spot, his imagination taking
flight.

Robby was back there, jacking off. Styles cupped the man on the

back of his head and knocked Robby’s hand away, taking over. He
wrapped his fingers around the man’s hard shaft, stroking it as he
lowered his head and captured the man’s soft-looking lips.

As Styles stood there fantasizing, his heart began to ache. When

he opened his eyes, he was all alone. Robby was gone. The image
faded away like smoke rising toward the sky, escaping him.

Styles felt the hot tears slip down his cheeks as he thought about

his parents. How could he mate a wolf? Wouldn’t that dishonor their
memory? How could he claim someone of the same breed who had
killed such loving and caring people?

Loving Styles

He was twisted up on the inside, unsure of what to do. He didn’t

want to lose what fate had given him, but he couldn’t bring himself to
open up to a man who was—Styles gritted his teeth.

Yes, Robby was wolf. But he was more than his breed. He was a

man who desired Styles in a way no other had. He was risking
everything to convince Styles to be with him. It was more than Styles
was doing.

Taking a seat, Styles wasn’t sure which road to take. Not since his

parents died had he felt this damn lost, this damn alone. If only to
himself, he admitted that he wanted Robby. Yes, he did. His coyote
was whimpering soulfully for its mate.

He closed his eyes, knowing he couldn’t let Robby in. There were

pieces of him that were lost and Styles hadn’t known what it was like
to be whole in such a very long time.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Five

Robby grabbed the manila envelope from the counter. He had

totally forgotten to take it to the post office. He was still hurting over
what Styles had said to him last night, even though he knew his mate
was only lashing out, fighting the attraction growing between them.

God, had he really jacked off in front of two men? Robby still

couldn’t believe he had done that or what entity had possessed him.

It was as if someone else had taken over his mind and had Robby

performing like a male exotic stripper. Only he kept his jeans on and
had stroked his cock to completion. The one comforting thought about
what he’d done was that Robby knew for a fact that Styles had run
upstairs and jerked his cock as well.

Stuffing the envelope in the visor, Robby pushed those thoughts

aside and drove to work.

It was a beautiful day out, the sun shining brightly. He passed by

The Pit, Floral Fragrances, and The Lucky Clover on his way in to
work. There were people on the streets, walking to wherever they
were going. Some waved in Robby’s direction. He waved back,
wishing he could be truly happy. But a small part of him worried that
Styles would never come around and he would be alone for the rest of
his life.

When he walked into the bakery, he noticed a smile on Ross’s

face. What the heck was going on? It was a smile that said the man
knew something. “You had a delivery this morning.”

Robby’s heart began to pound as he moved closer to the counter,

his eyes scanning for this delivery. “What is it?”

Loving Styles

Ross reached under the counter and pulled out a box, handing it

over to Robby. “There was a card attached. All it had was your name,
nothing else. It was leaning against the bakery door when Kenway
and I got here this morning.”

Robby turned, heading into the kitchen so he could be alone. It

would be another hour before Baker showed up. He set the box on the
stainless steel counter, his hands shaking as he opened it.

There were chocolates inside. He searched for a card, but there

wasn’t one. That was okay. Robby knew who had sent them to him.
He couldn’t stop smiling. Styles might have been cruel as hell last
night with his words, but the chocolates had to be a way Styles was
trying to say he was sorry.

His gesture touched him. Maybe he and Styles had a chance after

all.

Robby closed the box and then hurried from the kitchen. “I’ll be

right back,” he shouted at Ross as he flew from the bakery, jumped in
his car, and drove to Village Mart.

Robby searched the store until he found a keychain that was

perfect. It wasn’t much, but he liked that it was in the shape of a heart.
It was also a shiny red. Robby didn’t have the money to go out and
buy anything expensive, but he knew that it was the small things that
mattered. Styles didn’t seem the type to want anything outlandish
anyway.

He then went to the greeting card aisle and grabbed a small white

box with cotton lined inside. There were small cards in a rack, the
kind that could be written on for notes. He picked one out that had
butterflies on it and then went up front to pay for everything.

Robby wasn’t sure if he was doing the right thing. What if he was

moving too fast? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he had to take a chance.

Once he was back in his car, Robby thought long and hard before

he scribbled on the card.

I’m giving you my heart. This is the first time I have given it to

anyone. I won’t call the cops to get it back if you don’t hurt it or tear

Lynn Hagen

it apart. We can share custody until you stop acting like an ass and
realize that we are fated to be together. Until then, I want visitation
rights. Meet me at the diner at five p.m. to discuss custody rights.

Robby blew out a shaky breath as he stuffed the card in the box

and then closed it. If Styles didn’t show this time, he just might give
the guy what he wanted and leave the man alone. He had been driven
and determined to make the man his, but Robby was starting to see
that maybe the guy didn’t want to be bothered.

But what about the chocolates?
He wasn’t sure. But tonight would tell him if Styles really wanted

to make this work or not.

Starting the car, Robby drove to the floral shop. He knew Blair

wouldn’t mind delivering this for him. The guy seemed to delight in
wanting to get a reaction out of Styles. But this time Robby wasn’t
going. He couldn’t. If Styles tossed the box aside, Robby didn’t want
to see that. “Hey, Randy,” he called out as he entered the shop.

The guy glanced up and smiled as Robby headed his way. “Hi,

Robby. Here to buy more flowers?”

Robby shook his head. “Can you put a ribbon around this box for

me?” He placed the small, jewelry-sized box on the counter.

“Sure,” Randy said. “What color ribbon do you want?”
Robby wasn’t sure. He wanted something that said forever,

something that told Styles that he was dead serious about them. He
just wasn’t sure what color would say all that. “What color would say
that I’m here for the long haul?”

Randy gave Robby a shy grin before he turned and cut a long

piece of ribbon from the green spool. “Green, Robby. It represents the
earth, something long lasting.”

That’s what Robby wanted. He wanted Styles to know the full

impact of what he was conveying. “Green it is.”

He just hoped Styles knew what the green meant.

Loving Styles

“What are you up to this time?” Blair asked as he walked from the

cooler. He tossed his hair over his shoulder, giving Robby a
mischievous smile. “Better yet, can I be in on it?”

When Randy was done tying the ribbon, he picked the box up and

presented it to Blair. “I need you to deliver this for me. Will you?”

Blair snagged the box from his hand. “You know I will.”
“Now,” Robby said as his heart beat faster.
“Are you going to follow me to watch?”
“Not this time. I have to get back to work.” Besides, Robby would

know his answer soon enough. He had an urge to pull Blair back
when the man walked toward the door. He still had time to come to
his senses. Robby didn’t want to know if Styles would come or not.
His world would be devastated if the man was a no-show again.

“Good luck,” Randy said softly to him as Robby headed toward

the door.

“Thanks.” He was going to need it.

* * * *

Robby sat at the booth, stirring his straw around in his glass of

water. Glancing at his watch for the hundredth time, he blew out a
breath when he saw that it was twenty minutes past five.

Tangee glanced his way and Robby could see in the guy’s eyes

that the waiter knew Robby had been stood up again. He didn’t want
anyone’s pity. All he wanted to do was go home and be alone.

“Here.” Tangee slid a chocolate milkshake in front of Robby. “It’s

on the house.”

“Thanks,” Robby said without feeling. He had been sitting there

thinking about the chocolates and was starting to doubt that Styles had
sent them. How could he send Robby a gift and then leave him
hanging like this?

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Tangee patted him on the shoulder as he

walked away.

Lynn Hagen

Maybe it was. Maybe the gods knew that Robby couldn’t

handle—his eyes snapped up when the door opened. Robby sat there
frozen to his seat, unable to breathe when Styles walked through the
door, glancing around the diner. His dark-brown eyes landed on
Robby, but the man didn’t move. It was almost like he had expected
Robby to be gone by now.

He dipped his head and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck

before walking slowly toward Robby’s table. Robby wanted to pump
his arm in the air when he saw the keys in Styles hand, the red heart
dangling amongst the other things. He also caught the small green
ribbon sticking out slightly from Styles’s front pocket.

Could it be possible that Styles understood what Robby was trying

to say with that ribbon?

He kept his features schooled as Styles stopped by the table. The

man didn’t say anything. He just stood there. Taking a huge chance,
Robby slipped from the booth and smiled up at Styles. “Thanks for
coming.”

Tangee was in the background, grinning like a goof and giving

Robby two thumbs up.

“Well, you said we needed to discuss custody rights,” Styles said

in a tone that made Robby think the man was ready to bolt. He could
tell the coyote was very uncomfortable. That was the last thing Robby
wanted him to be. They were feeling each other out and trying to
make this work.

Styles had shown up. That meant he wanted something with

Robby. He just wasn’t sure how deep that something was. They were
standing on fragile ground right now and Robby knew he had to step
carefully.

“Can we talk?” he asked gently, placing a hand on Styles’s arm.

“Please,” he added.

Styles nodded as he took a seat, his eyes studying the table. Robby

had never seen anyone look so lost, so unsure in his life. He placed

Loving Styles

his hands in his lap to stop himself from reaching across the table.
“Thanks for coming.”

“You said that,” Styles pointed out.
Robby could feel a blush creeping across his face. “That I did. Do

you want the rest of your chicken? I can have it—”

“I’m not hungry,” Styles said, cutting him off.
Robby wasn’t sure what to say. A ton of things had gone through

his mind when he was sitting here by himself. But now that Styles
was sitting across from him, his head still lowered and playing with
the silverware, Robby was at a loss.

He stared at Styles, his heart aching for the handsome man. His

mate was wearing a tight blue T-shirt, showing off very impressive
muscles. He had masculine features like a wide nose, strong jaw,
kissable lips, and for a mechanic, very clean nails. His hair was short
and brown. Robby wanted to run his hands over the strands.

Robby stared at Styles’s hands as the man twirled the fork. The

silence was awkward. “I like your motorcycle.”

Styles glanced up at him and Robby could see that the guy hadn’t

expected him to talk about something so unimportant. “Thanks.”

This date—or whatever it was—was failing miserably. Robby

wished he had asked Styles to meet him at the movies instead. There
they wouldn’t be allowed to talk. “Do you want to get out of here?”

Styles finally glanced his way. “Where to?”
“A stroll down the street, a walk through the woods, or bungee

jumping. Hell if I care.”

Styles stood. “Listen—”
“No,” Robby held up his hand. “If you want to leave, just go. I

understand how hard it was for you to come in the first place. I mean,
what was I thinking? You hate wolves. And hey, I’m a freaking wolf.
What chance did I really have with you? Just piss off.” Robby was
finished trying to be nice. The man was about to blow him off and his
damn pride was hurt.

Lynn Hagen

Styles shifted to his other foot, shoving his thumbs in his front

pockets as he stared at Robby. “I was just going to say that we could
go for a ride on my bike.”

Robby blinked up at him. “Can I have my words back? I seem to

have let them loose at the most inappropriate time.”

“Nope,” Styles replied. “I’m holding them for ransom.” He spun

on his heel and headed toward the door. Did that mean they were still
going for a ride? Robby didn’t stand there too long wondering. He
shot after Styles, heading out the door behind his mate.

“I’m really sorry I said those things,” Robby said when he caught

up to Styles. He felt like a complete and utter fool for telling Styles to
piss off. He normally wasn’t that mean to someone and he had been
so afraid of being rebuffed that he had struck first.

The man gave a nonchalant shrug, but Robby could see the

disappointment in his eyes. “No big deal. I’m used to that kind of
shit.”

Robby grabbed Styles’s arm before the man could turn away.

What he hadn’t expected was the growl that ripped from the man, his
canines instantly showing. Robby took a step back, his hand covering
his throat. He’d never seen anyone look that lethal in his life.
“Styles?”

His mate scowled, turning his handsome looks into something

demonic. “This isn’t going to work, Robby.”

He wasn’t going to give up. Robby had worked too hard to get

them here. It was one simple meeting at a diner, but Styles was
wearing the keychain Robby had sent him. That meant something
whether the pigheaded man knew it or not. He wasn’t going to allow
Styles to shove him away.

Digging into his pocket, Robby pulled out a lighter and held it up.

It was a plain blue Bic, but he was trying to make a point. Styles’s
eyes dropped to the lighter, his brows dipping deep. “It’s a lighter.”

Robby shook his head. “Guess again.”
Styles turned and began to walk away. “It’s a damn lighter.”

Loving Styles

Running ahead of the coyote, Robby shoved his arm out, placing

the lighter close to Styles’s face. “Guess. Again.” His tone was a little
firmer, making Styles take him seriously. “What is this?”

“A blue lighter,” Styles answered. “What is your point?”
“It’s symbolic, Styles.”
The man gave a light shake of his head. Robby knew he wouldn’t

get it, but he was trying to make Styles pay close attention. It was
working. His mate studied the lighter intensely. “I don’t know.”

Running his thumb over the steel wheel, Robby watched as the

flame danced around. Styles seemed mesmerized by it. His dark-
brown eyes followed the flame as it swayed.

“It’s light, Styles. Don’t you see? I want to be the light in your

darkness.” Robby released the flame and grabbed Styles’s hand,
placing the lighter in his palm. “Just give me a chance.”

Styles studied his palm and Robby saw the tortured look enter his

mate’s face once more. “I can’t let go.”

“Then let me help you.” He wanted to wrap his arms around his

mate, but Robby kept a slight distance. It killed him to do so, but they
were on a slippery slope right now. Styles could fall either way.

He let out a stuttering breath when Styles curled his fingers in,

enclosing the lighter in the palm of his hand. “Just…give me time.”

Robby could do that. He would give Styles all the time he needed.

“Dinner, tomorrow night?”

Styles glanced back at the diner. “Lunch.”
Robby knew lunch was Styles’s safeguard. They would have a

limited amount of time. He would take that. “Okay.”

Standing on the street, Robby watched Styles walk to his

motorcycle and mount it. He slipped his glasses into place and
Robby’s cock became hard. Styles truly was a gorgeous man. The
roar of the bike filled the air as Styles pulled away.

His evening plans ruined but happy he was making progress,

Robby headed to his car and drove home. He thought about Styles the
entire way. What was he going to do in order to tear down the man’s

Lynn Hagen

walls? He cursed when he remembered the chocolates. He would
thank Styles for them tomorrow.

Pulling into his drive, the only thing Robby wanted to do was

walk through his garden. Being back there always calmed his nerves
and settled something inside of him. He was going to take a shower
first and then slip on some pajama pants, letting the slight breeze
skate over his heated flesh.

And he was heated. Things might not have gone as planned, but

being near Styles made Robby’s cock ache. The remembered way
Styles had watched him as Robby jacked off in the man’s backyard
kept playing over and over in his mind.

Styles had been entranced. His eyes had never left Robby. He

knew that his mate wanted him, but his hatred continued to get in the
way. Maybe he would go back over to Styles’s house tomorrow night
and catch the man in his bedroom.

Robby didn’t give a shit if he just met the guy. He wanted to be

fucked into the wall. If that didn’t work, he was going to at least suck
the man off. Robby was going to break down that damn barrier
between them.

Walking through the front door, Robby froze. His eyes scanned

the house as his heart began to hammer in his chest. He couldn’t be
seeing what he was seeing. There was no way. As his hand fell away
from the doorknob, Robby walked further inside to see that someone
had ransacked his home.

Loving Styles

Chapter Six

Styles wasn’t even sure why he was riding past Robby’s house. It

had to be the lighter thing. He had the blue Bic stuffed in his front
pocket, keeping it close after what Robby had said to him.

The man was throwing him for a loop.
No one had ever sent him flowers or gifts and no one had ever

gone through this much trouble just to get past his walls. Robby was
getting to him, making Styles feel like they had half a chance with
each other.

He slowed his motorcycle when he saw a police car sitting in

Robby’s driveway. What the hell was going on? Robby was standing
out front, talking with one of the officers as another walked out of the
front door.

Pulling in beside the cruiser, Styles put the kickstand down and

cut the motor. Big hazel eyes glanced his way and he could see fear in
them. Robby had his arms crossed over his chest, but not in a relaxed
pose. It was more like a defensive move, as if he was trying to keep
the chills away.

Styles slid his glasses off and propped them on his head as he

walked over the blacktop and then crossed the front lawn.

“Who are you?” the cop asked when he turned to look at Styles.
“Styles Huntington.” He moved closer to Robby, his eyes

questioning. “What happened here?”

“Someone broke into my house and wrecked the place,” Robby

said, his voice shaky.

“Can you think of any reason why someone would do this?” the

cop asked Robby.

Lynn Hagen

Robby shook his head back and forth. “None. I work at the

bakery. Unless someone didn’t like a donut or pastry, I can’t think of
any reason why someone would do this.”

Styles was amazed that Robby could still hang onto his sense of

humor after something like this. His voice wasn’t steady, but he could
tell Robby was trying to use levity to cope with his fear.

“Did you notice anything missing?” the cop asked, scribbling in

his notepad.

“No, but until I clean up, I won’t really know.” Robby glanced

back at his house and Styles could tell that he was really shaken up.

“Do you have any relatives that you can stay with, Mr. Nobles?”
They were all standard questions. The cop was doing his job and

he looked like he was concerned, but not as concerned as Styles was.
Who would break into Robby’s house, and why? Was the threat
gone? Was this just some random act or was Robby being targeted for
some reason?

Robby shook his head. “My relatives live too far away.”
“I don’t think you should stay here tonight, Mr. Nobles, not until

we find out what’s going on.” The cop turned toward Styles. “Are you
a friend?”

Styles cut his eyes at Robby. He stared at the man for a second

before dipping his head. “I am.”

Robby gave him a wobbly smile.
“Can he stay with you tonight?” the cop asked. “It would be best.

We don’t have any clues right now as far as who did this. Mr. Nobles
is shaken up as well. He’ll need a friend.”

Styles couldn’t stop gazing into Robby’s hazel eyes. He’d never

seen anyone look so damn vulnerable and scared. “Yeah, he can
stay.”

The cop turned back to Robby. “Why don’t you take Mr.

Huntington inside with you and gather some things. Be careful what
you touch. I want to have this place dusted for fingerprints and I don’t
want you to destroy any evidence we might be able to gather.”

Loving Styles

Robby looked like he was about to collapse. The reality of what

had happened was hitting home the longer the cop talked. Styles
touched Robby’s upper arm and nodded toward the house. “Let’s go
get some clothes.”

Robby dropped his arms and turned, walking inside, Styles right

behind him. The man kept running his hand over his hair, glancing
around at the destruction. Styles tapped him on the arm. “Your
bedroom.”

Robby nodded and led Styles down a hallway. There wasn’t one

spot in the house that hadn’t been left untouched. The couch was
flipped over, the television on the floor, busted. Pictures lay on the
floor, shattered, and there was a mound of debris all over the place. It
looked like a tornado had come through this place.

When they entered the bedroom, Robby stopped, his eyes misting

up as he gazed at the mess. Drawers were opened, contents spilled.
The bed was overturned, the mattresses sliced. “What were they
looking for?”

Robby’s head turned as he gazed up at Styles. “I don’t know.”
He spotted a small suitcase and grabbed it, setting it atop the

dresser. Styles ignored the part of him that was rebelling against
letting Robby stay with him. His coyote seemed to be in charge and it
had its canines bared to anyone or anything that was a threat to its
mate.

“Grab some clothes. I’ll go in your bathroom and get some

toiletries for you.” Styles left Robby to pack as he walked into the
bathroom. He stopped when he saw that the bathroom had been
searched as well.

His anger began to mount as he grabbed Robby’s toothbrush and

then opened the medicine cabinet, grabbing his cologne and shaving
cream. Who in the hell had done all this? Why? Someone had been
looking for something. He could tell by the way the place looked.

Styles snagged Robby’s razor and his shampoo. He had all of this

at home, but it might help Robby cope a little better if he had his own

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things. Styles walked back into the bedroom to see Robby standing
there staring at a photograph. The small suitcase was packed, so
Styles walked over and tucked in the toiletries he had gathered.

Robby tucked the frame into the suitcase and then closed it. “I’m

ready.”

Styles felt a bit detached, but he also felt something he had never

felt before. He wanted to protect Robby. He wanted to make sure that
no one hurt this guy, but Styles wanted to take away Robby’s fear.
Styles had never wanted to protect anyone before, not like this.

When the friends he lived with were under attack, Styles had

fought to keep not only himself alive, but the men with him. But this
was so much more personal. He wanted to…hug the man.

Instead, Styles grabbed the suitcase and led Robby to the front

room, trying to get the man out of the house so he wouldn’t continue
to see the destruction. He stored the suitcase in the trunk of Robby’s
car. “Since you know where I live, I want you to drive in front of me.
I’ll follow.”

He wanted to make sure no one came after Robby. Styles wanted

the man to take the lead so he could keep an eye out for any pursuers.

Robby slipped into the driver’s side and pulled out of the drive.

He had to maneuver around the cop car, but the driveway was wide
enough to where Robby could do that with ease. It took about ten
minutes until they reached the Manchester place.

Styles pulled his bike next to the driver’s side. “Pull the car all the

way in the back.”

Robby pulled away from the curb where he had started to park

and did as Styles asked. Styles parked behind him, but noticed that
Robby hadn’t gotten out. When he walked to the front of the car, he
saw Robby sitting in the driver’s seat, wiping at his eyes.

Opening the car door, Styles squatted down. “It’s going to be

okay, Robby.” He wasn’t sure what else to say. The guy’s home had
been broken into and trashed. Styles was pretty sure that Robby felt
violated. A home was a person’s safe haven, their oasis.

Loving Styles

“I just don’t get why someone would do that to me.”
Styles reached out and grabbed Robby’s hand, giving it a small

tug. “Come on.”

His mind was working overtime. There was a spare room in the

house. Spencer had moved out when he mated Bear. Should Styles
put him in there or in his own room? What really, really bothered him
was the fact that he was no longer thinking of Robby as a wolf, but a
friend. He wanted to help, to comfort the man.

He should have been taking Robby to the bed and breakfast,

setting him up there, not bringing him home. Hadn’t Styles sworn that
all wolves were his mortal enemies? Once again, Styles found a battle
waging inside of him.

It would be easier to let the man in if only…
“I don’t want to be alone tonight,” Robby murmured behind him.

“I’m not trying to encroach on your space, but I just—”

“It’s fine,” Styles said before he thought about his words. Was it

fine? Could he allow Robby to stay in his bedroom? Styles set the
suitcase by his dresser, unsure of what to say when they were both in
his room.

Robby sat at the edge of Styles’s bed, his hands in his lap. His

head was tilted down and the guy looked on the verge of crying again.
Styles wasn’t sure what to do. He’d never had to console anyone
before. The concept was foreign to him.

“My life’s belongings are in that house,” Robby said. “All the

memories I’ve gathered my entire life.”

Styles glanced around his bedroom. There were no pictures on the

walls or dresser. There was nothing there to make his room personal.
He had a bed, two nightstands, two lamps, and a dresser. That was it.
He hadn’t collected a damn thing.

And then he thought about the ribbon in his front pocket. He also

thought about the flowers sitting in his bathroom. The flowers Robby
had been sending him. Those were the only things he had saved.

Lynn Hagen

Styles didn’t believe in hanging onto mementoes. They had never
been worth hanging onto before.

“We’ll get it all put back together.” Styles wasn’t sure why he had

offered to help the man, but having something taken away was a
feeling he was well acquainted with. Styles could identify with Robby
on that subject.

“Thanks for helping me out,” Robby said as he lifted his head, and

then he cocked it to the side. “Why were you at my place?”

Styles cleared his throat, unsure of what to say. He had just

wanted to drive by and maybe catch a glimpse of Robby without the
man knowing what he was doing. He hadn’t planned on stopping. “I
was heading someplace.”

God, even to him that sounded lame.
Robby gave him a look that said he knew Styles was lying. But

the man didn’t call him on it. He just nodded and then stood.
“Bathroom?” he asked, pointing toward the door on the far end of the
room.

Styles held his breath as Robby walked over to the door and then

stepped inside. The guy was going to see the flowers. Every single
bouquet that Robby had sent him sat in its own individual vase. They
were scattered all over his bathroom. There was no way he wouldn’t
see them.

When Robby emerged from the bathroom, Styles braced himself

for the teasing, for the man to say that Styles was a wuss for wanting
to keep something that was very precious to him. But Robby didn’t
say anything about the flowers as he sat back down. “You have an
awesome shower.”

His bedroom and bathroom were his oasis. The bathroom was the

one place Styles had splurged. He had contracted Roman Lakeland to
remodel it into Styles’s dream bathroom. “It is pretty cool,” he
admitted.

Loving Styles

“Do you mind if I take a shower?” Robby asked as he bounced his

blondish-brown eyebrows. “I need one, but honestly, I am dying to
check it out.”

For the first time since they had been around each other, Styles

laughed. “Be my guest.”

Robby moved over to Styles, leaning down to grab his suitcase,

and Styles could do nothing but hold his breath. The man was so
close, his face right there at Styles’s crotch. He could feel himself
growing hard as Robby took longer than needed to grab the handle
before he pulled away and knelt on the floor.

The guy was torturing him in ways that had his cock pulsing. He

was kneeling there, unzipping the case, still so damn close that
Styles’s body was heating up to nuclear meltdown. When Robby
tilted his head back and gazed up at Styles, he thought his cock would
explode.

“Do you keep the towels in there?”
Styles daftly nodded, his lungs hurting from holding his breath.

Robby gave him a teasing smile before he grabbed a pair of pajama
pants from the suitcase and then headed into the bathroom.

Styles needed to get away, to put space between them. He didn’t

think he could handle it if Robby stepped from his bathroom, his body
glistening with sprinkles of water clinging to his skin. He headed
toward the door, making a quick exit and then walked briskly down
the stairs.

When he reached the kitchen, Styles felt as if he could breathe

again.

“I see Robby’s car is out back,” Kenway said as he stood at the

counter, making himself something to eat. The tone wasn’t accusing,
but questioning.

“Someone broke into his place and trashed it.” He felt compelled

to explain Robby’s presence. That was something he never felt the
need to do. Styles explained himself to no one. But here he stood,
babbling nervously to Kenway. “The cops asked if I would let him

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stay here for the night until they could dust the place down for
fingerprints.”

Kenway cocked his eyebrow, but didn’t say anything about

Styles’s loose lips. “Is he all right?”

“He’s a bit shaken up, but he wasn’t hurt.” Styles went to the

fridge and grabbed a bottled water. He cracked the lid and drank half
the bottle. His throat was so fucking dry that it felt like sandpaper.

“Do they know why someone would break into his place?”
Styles shook his head. “No one knows. Robby says he doesn’t

have any enemies.”

Kenway studied him for a moment as he shoved his plate in the

microwave. “Do you think he should come into work tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Styles answered. “He should be somewhere where he can

be protected.” Styles was acting so out of character. Not only was he
looking out for someone other than himself, but a wolf no less.

It had to be a shocker for Kenway. But hell, it was a shocker for

Styles as well. Never in his life had he thought to protect his sworn
enemy. Yet here he was, keeping Robby safe.

“You know he is welcome to stay here for as long as he needs.”
Styles headed toward the side door. “I know.” He needed air. He

walked to the back deck, standing there as he tried his best to
compose his frazzled nerves. Fuck! Robby was in his bathroom,
naked, lathering soap all over his—Styles pushed the thought away.

Robby was here. Styles just couldn’t believe it. This was a far cry

from the way he had acted when he first realized that Robby was his
mate.

His chest hurt, really fucking hurt. He had acted like an insane

animal that day, rebelled against the idea that a wolf was his mate.
And then Styles felt ashamed because his mind had refused to accept
that fact and he had never allowed himself to think of Robby as his
mate.

He had even agreed with the cops that Robby was a friend…not a

boyfriend…not his husband…just a friend. He gazed up at the sky,

Loving Styles

wondering if letting the man in, letting go of his rage, would be a
betrayal to his parents’ memory. He was conflicted.

The air stirred around him and Styles scented bear. “What do you

want, Reese?”

The man moved closer, bumping his shoulder with Styles. He

hated that there was a riff between them. Reese had been there for
Styles through thick and thin. The man was hell of a friend to have
and he had taken his anger out on the guy.

“I see Robby is here.”
Styles nodded.
“Kenway told me what happened.”
God, could that guy keep any kind of secret? He had the loosest

fucking lips around. If he ever wanted to commit a crime, Styles
would have to make sure Kenway was nowhere near him.

Reese moved over to the table and took a seat. “Nice night out.”
Styles joined him, sitting back and staring at the woods behind

their home. He thought about Robby, the flowers he had sent, the
keychain, and the witty cards. He smiled when he thought about the
chicken, and how he held the man’s heart…joint custody.

He’d never met anyone like Robby before.
“He seems like a really sweet guy,” Reese said, breaking into

Styles’s thoughts.

“You can’t watch us have sex.”
Reese chuckled. “Aw, come on. You won’t even know I was

there.”

Styles cut his eyes at Reese, giving the man a look that said his

answer would always be no. It didn’t slip his mind that he had just
admitted out loud they he was going to have sex with Robby. When
he spoke the words, they had felt natural.

“Fine,” Reese said and then sighed. “I swear, everyone in this

house is turning into prudes. At least Paine still lets me watch.”

Lynn Hagen

“That’s because Paine is a true-to-the-heart freak,” Styles

answered. “The man would have sex in the middle of town if he
thought he could get away with it.”

Reese nodded. “He’s pissed that Steele has mated. Not that he

doesn’t like Diablo and love his nephew, but the days when both of
them fucked the same guy are over.”

Styles thought about the random sex he had over the years, the

quickies, or the times when he got off and left. He couldn’t even
remember any names. It had always been just an act for him, nothing
more. His feelings had never been invested.

Glancing up toward the balcony that led to his bathroom, Styles

knew that was about to change. His feelings toward Robby were
changing in ways he never thought possible. Styles wanted to be with
the guy.

Maybe he would play hard to get a while longer. He really did like

getting flowers sent to him and he absolutely loved he ransom notes.
God, he was a twisted fuck.

But twisted or not, Styles knew he was fighting a battle he wasn’t

going to win. Robby had wormed his way into Styles’s life and he
honestly couldn’t imagine himself pushing the man away any longer.

“You’re going to mate him, aren’t you?” Reese asked with a shitty

ass grin on his face. “Mates will do that to you.”

Reese wasn’t mated, but Styles knew the guy was on the lookout.

Every shifter wanted a mate. From what he had heard over the years,
a mate was like having the other part of a person’s soul given to them.

Styles wasn’t sure if that was true, but he could say that having

Robby close, he was starting to feel as though the man had become an
integral part of his life.

God, who knew that Styles would fall just from having flowers

sent to him and chicken sent with a ransom note?

Loving Styles

Chapter Seven

Styles walked upstairs, inhaling a deep breath and blowing it out

slowly. He knew what he was walking into. Robby was naked in his
room, or mostly. The only thing the man took out to wear was a pair
of pajama pants, and those were thin as hell.

It was a balmy night and Styles was hot himself, but it didn’t help

that some of that heat was from the need burning in his loins. Styles
could feel the heaviness inside of him to take Robby, to fuck the man
until the hunger for the guy abated.

His steps slowed until he was just standing there on the staircase,

curling his fingers around the wood as he tried to get his libido back
under control. Styles still couldn’t believe that Robby was a wolf and
he was thinking about having sex with the man.

Had Robby gotten to him that badly? Had those mementoes meant

that much? Styles knew they had. Those damn flowers meant the
world to him, even though they shouldn’t. Turning, Styles took a seat
on the step, rubbing his hand over his jaw.

“I thought you would be running up there.”
Tilting his head back, Styles glared at his approaching friend.

“Stop stalking me.”

“You wish,” Reese said as he took a seat next to Styles. “What’s

on your mind?”

Styles’s left eyebrow rose a fraction. “What, are you my damn

shrink now?”

“Nope,” Reese replied as he leaned back and rested his arms on

the steps. “Just wondering why you’re leaving Robby in your room
while you sit here like a man in conflict.”

Lynn Hagen

Styles hated that Reese could read him so well. He had been

around the man too damn long. Stretching his legs out, Styles
wondered how to say what he wanted to say without actually saying
it. “Robby is a wolf.”

Reese’s lips curved upward. “Yeah, I kind of scented that on

him.”

“I hate wolves,” Styles reminded Reese as he set his chin in a

stubborn line. “Why would fate give me a wolf for a mate when the
fucking breed has done me so wrong?”

Reese sat forward, resting his arms on his knees. “Has Robby

done anything wrong to you?”

“No.”
“Then I think it’s about time you start blaming the ones

responsible and not the entire race. I’ve meet some pretty damn
decent wolves since I’ve been here. Place the blame where it
belongs.”

“But my parents—” Styles turned away, hating that he was so

fucking confused.

“Would be happy that you found your mate, Styles.” Reese

bumped shoulders with him. “I wouldn't give a fuck if Robby was an
elephant with five tusks. He’s the one person fate thought would fit
perfectly with you. Maybe they gave you Robby to help find your
way. Who knows. But making him pay for something he didn’t do is
asinine.”

Reese was making perfect sense, but Styles had hated wolves his

entire life. It wasn’t that easy to let it go. He wanted to make those
responsible pay, but Reese was right, Styles was making the entire
wolf breed pay for what had happened to him and his parents. Robby
was his mate. Being a wolf did not define who he was. It was just a
part of him.

He knew he was trying to talk himself into this. Everything

sounded so logical, so easy. So why was he hesitant to leave the steps
and go to his room?

Loving Styles

“And since I’m the voice of reason, I think I should be rewarded.”
Styles shoved his hand against Reese’s leg. “You’re not watching,

perv.”

“There is nothing perverted about wanting to see the beauty of

male bodies and how they intertwine together.” Reese’s tone had
grown serious. “Do you know how sensual watching two males
making love is?”

Okay, now Reese was getting way off topic and Styles did not

want to go there. He stood, heading up the steps. “Later.” He would
have to remember to lock his bedroom door.

“Prude!” Reese shouted behind him and then Styles heard a deep

laugh. The guy was persistent, but Styles wasn’t going to allow him to
watch a damn thing. Although he had thought about having sex with
Robby, Styles wasn’t sure what he was going to—he stopped dead in
his tracks when he walked into his bedroom to see Robby bending
over, pulling his pajama pants on.

The man’s bared ass was showing before he slipped the fabric into

place. But Styles had caught sight of the pale flesh before the man had
covered it.

And he couldn’t stop thinking about what he wanted to do with

that nice ass. His canines had become heavy in his mouth as he felt an
urge to bite. His cock grew to full length, his skin felt tight.

“I’m sorry,” Robby said as he turned toward Styles, his hazel eyes

widening a fraction. “I took longer than expected. But those dual
shower heads were nirvana.” He ended his sentence with a smile.

Styles pulled his eyes away from the man to notice a few candles

were lit around the room. What was Robby planning?

Robby waved his hand toward the closest candle. “It’s a ritual I

have. I always light candles when I shower. It helps me relax. I’ll put
them out.”

“No,” Styles said a little too quickly. A momentary look of

discomfort crossed Robby’s face. Styles knew he was flip-floppy with

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his moods and the guy probably didn’t know what he would do.
“They’re…nice.”

One corner of Robby’s mouth pulled into a slight smile. “You

better be careful. Lighting candles when showering or taking a bath
can become addictive. I usually put them in the bathroom with me,
but I was afraid of setting the flowers on fire.”

Styles felt his cheeks heat up when Robby mentioned those damn

things. Once again he was waiting for the guy to tease him, but Robby
busied himself by walking over by Styles, dropping to his knees, and
zipping his suitcase back up.

What was with him kneeling in front of Styles? Didn’t the guy

know just how much that affected him? Was he aware of the
captivating picture he made down there? Before he could blink his
eyes, Robby had moved closer, placing his hands on Styles’s thighs.
“What are you doing?”

There was almost an imperceptible amount of pleading in Robby’s

eyes. Styles held his breath as Robby ran his fingers up and down his
thighs, his fingers moving closer and closer to the snap on Styles’s
jeans.

“I want to give, not take. Will you let me do that for you?”
Styles’s head lifted and then lowered, panting so quickly that his

mouth dried out. Slowly, he moved closer to the dresser and leaned
against it, Robby moving with him. He threaded his fingers in
Robby’s hair, palming the man’s scalp.

Robby lowered his lashes as his hands moved to unfasten Styles’s

jeans. The man’s hand brushed over the head of Styles’s cock,
causing a surge of heat to rise within him. He didn’t say a word, just
watched as Robby fished his cock out and kissed the very tip of the
head. Styles’s entire body jerked, his hand tightening on Robby’s
scalp. Wrapping his lips around the head of Styles’s cock, Robby
began to suck, his tongue tracing the veins, his cheeks hollowed. As
he watched Robby, the man looked up at him. Styles gave a low

Loving Styles

growl when he saw the smile in Robby’s eyes that contained a
sensuous heat.

The look was as intimate as a kiss.
Styles wanted to tell Robby to suck his cock harder, to take him

all the way down his throat, but the words were caught in his throat as
he watched the man turn his head, his tongue snaking out to lick along
his cock.

The coyote in him howled at the pleasure that was becoming

overwhelming. His eyes moved over to the candles flickering as
Robby reached a hand into his pants and palmed his sac. He began to
roll the flesh gently in his hand, giving the skin a slight tug.

Styles threw his head back, hissing and groaning, grabbing the

strands of Robby’s hair and giving a slight tug of his own. The scent
of Robby’s arousal slid over him like fur against his skin. It was
strong, musky, and had Styles salivating to take the man right here on
the floor.

The man’s tongue was slow, sliding, erotically rough and so hot

that he felt like he was melting. Robby pulled back, his tongue
swirling around the head, dipping into the slit, and pulling out the pre-
cum, giving a light growl of approval.

Styles was barely holding onto his control, barely keeping it in

check. His coyote wanted to mate Robby, claim him in the most
savage and sensual way. Styles opened his eyes, seeing Robby’s
grimace of pleasure, the raw lust that transformed his handsome face
and made his hazel eyes burst with heat. Styles hadn’t thought Robby
could get any better looking, any more tempting, but staring down at
the man, he knew he had been wrong.

Claim him. He is your mate. Stop being such a damn fool.
Styles’s breathing picked up. He could see Robby’s eyes begging

him with want and need, pleading to be claimed. Robby had said that
tonight was all about Styles, but Styles wasn’t that selfish. He
couldn’t take from his mate and not give. He was enjoying what

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Robby was doing to him, but he also wanted to give the man so much
pleasure that Robby drowned in it.

Grabbing at the fabric of his shirt, Styles lifted it up and then over

his head, tossing it aside. He circled his fingers around Robby’s wrist
and placed his mate’s hand on his chest. Robby’s skin was hot to the
touch, making Styles groan.

Robby pulled away from sucking Styles’s cock and stood,

wrapping his lips around Styles’s nipple. The man sure as fuck liked
sucking. His cock jerked at the thought of having Robby permanently
attached to his body with those masterful lips. He rolled the nipple
around with his teeth, and then gently bit down.

He could feel the tips of Robby’s canines biting into his flesh.

Styles grabbed the back of Robby’s head, pulling the man back,
gazing down into eyes that were swimming in a carnal, fervid mist.
“You like biting?”

Robby licked at his lips, his smile slow in forming but finally

appeared, reaching his eyes. “I got carried away.”

“I just bet you did.” His words were spoken in a low growl, his

coyote close to the surface. His hand moved to Robby’s back stroking
its way down to the man’s buttocks. He gripped tightly as the
beginning of a smile tipped his mouth. “You like toying with me.”

“I like getting a response out of you,” Robby countered. “I like to

keep you guessing. I want to keep you on your toes, constantly
surprising you, always making you wonder what I’m going to do
next.” The man’s words had a slight snarl to them but Styles could see
that Robby loved sending ransom notes, loved the game of guess-
what-I’m-going-to-do-next.

He could be just as spontaneous as Robby. Styles could keep his

mate guessing as well. Like now for instance. He reached into the
drawer and pulled out the lube, keeping a tight grip on it. Then, in one
swift move, Styles took Robby to the wooden floor. He was on top of
his mate in a heartbeat, slamming his lips over Robby’s.

Loving Styles

Styles set the lube down next to Robby’s head as he tried to

devour the man.

His mate dug his fingernails into Styles’s shoulders, parting his

lips. Their tongues dueled and fought over who would control the
kiss. Robby might be slim, and not as tall as Styles, but the man
definitely had a strong, aggressive personality.

Grabbing his mate’s wrist, Styles locked the man’s hands over his

head. He smiled, flashing his white teeth. “You are a very determined
man. What, do you think you’ll roll me, place me on bottom, and then
what were your plans?”

Robby lifted his head and tried to nip at Styles’s lips. “Very

naughty ones.”

Styles dipped his head and locked his teeth on Robby’s throat,

giving the man a throaty growl before he pulled back and kissed his
neck. His cock was hard, straining in his jeans and Styles could feel
the blood pulsing, making him almost mad with the need.

Robby smirked at him. “Don’t worry, you would’ve kept control.”
Styles seriously doubted that. Locking eyes with the man beneath

him, Styles lowered his head and licked his tongue over Robby’s
exposed chest, smiling to himself when his mate’s breath hitched. He
could feel Robby tugging at his arms, trying to get his hands free.

In the struggle to see who was going to dominate who, there was

no fucking way Styles was going to release the man. Never before had
Styles met a man who should’ve fallen into the category of twink, yet
acted more like a dominant alpha.

But under all the posturing, Robby was also determined to love

Styles, no matter how much he pushed the man away, snapped at him,
or acted like a total ass. He saw Styles as his and was laying his claim.

Releasing one of Robby’s arms, Styles pointed at the man, giving

him a look that said, “don’t fucking move.” He shoved at his jeans,
kicking them off. He wanted skin against skin. Styles wanted their
entire bodies to touch without confinements, without anything getting
in the way.

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With his free hand, Robby tried to reach down and grab Styles’s

cock. He knocked the man’s hand away. “Still trying to take over?”

“Still trying to play.” His mate’s eyes shimmered with laughter,

his features softening as he gazed at Styles with such love that Styles
had to look away. He couldn’t understand how Robby could love him
and they had just met. Not only that, how could Robby love him when
Styles had done everything in his power to keep the man away from
him?

“Growl for me,” Robby teased as his hitched his hips and drove

his cock forward, making the heated flesh slide along Styles’s own
erection. “It flips my trigger when I hear that sound coming from
you.”

His mate lifted his legs and swung them around Styles’s waist,

locking Styles into place. “Or should I be begging you to purr?”

Styles was totally and utterly confused. Robby was acting

dominant and submissive at the same time. He was giving Styles
control, yet keeping some for himself. “It is you who is going to be
purring like a kitten when I’m done with you.”

“Challenge accepted,” Robby said as he humped at Styles’s groin.

“Make me purr, Styles.”

Styles’s blood ran hot at Robby’s words. Not only did he want to

make the man purr, but he wanted to hear Robby crying out his name
as he came.

He was so caught up in wanting to fuck Robby through the floor

that Styles no longer cared that the man was a wolf. He no longer
cared about anything except claiming the man. Robby was driving
him insane, making him want things that he had never wanted before.

But the one thing Styles wanted most was to hear Robby tell him

that he loved him. He wanted assurance the Robby would never hurt
him. If his mate betrayed him, did anything to make Styles doubt the
man, he knew he would be crushed. His world would come to a
screeching halt.

Loving Styles

Because he was doing the one thing he never thought he would do

in life. He was going to trust a wolf. He was going to give himself
over to Robby, and he was going to trust the man not to destroy him.
It was the most terrifying feeling in the world. Styles had never
trusted anyone, not even the men he lived with. Not one hundred
percent. None of the shifters he lived with had his total and utter trust.

Styles gazed down into Robby’s eyes, seeing his future, seeing his

happiness…or his destruction. Because Robby was now capable of
doing the one thing that no one had ever had the ability to do before.

He could destroy Styles. He had given his mate that capability

when he decided that he was going to claim the man. When he dipped
his head, Styles took Robby’s lips in a tender, gentle kiss. His hand
smoothed over Robby’s flesh, trying to memorize every dip, every
valley. This was the first time he had opened himself up, and he was
praying that Robby did him no harm.

Pulling back into a kneeling position, Styles scooped Robby up

with him, settling the man in his lap. His arms wrapped around
Robby’s body, his fingers exploring as his tongue did the same. He
tasted the man’s lips, his jaw, and then kissed a trail down the man’s
neck.

As he continued to make love to the man’s flesh with his lips,

Styles reached for the discarded lube. He squeezed a good portion of
the clear liquid onto his fingers and then dropped the bottle next to his
knee. Styles ran his fingers down the crease of Robby’s ass, feeling
his mate panting, breathing harder as he captured Styles’s lips and
sucked Styles’s tongue in, playing with the appendage.

Styles ran his fingers over the puckered back entrance, probing

before slipping a single finger past the tight muscles. His other hand
cupped Robby’s scalp, holding his head in place before he pulled his
lips away from Robby’s mouth, and began to nibble his way toward
Robby’s ear.

“Purr for me,” Styles whispered as he inserted a second finger into

his mate’s ass. “I want to hear how I make you feel.”

Lynn Hagen

Robby’s head fell back onto his shoulders as his lips parted and

his eyes fluttered closed. A long, provocative groan rumbled through
him. The man was rocking, impaling Styles’s fingers continuously as
his hands cupped Styles’s neck, holding on as he took his pleasure.

The sight was rapturous, spellbinding, making Styles’s breath

freeze in his lungs. He’d had many lovers over the years, and none of
them had ever responded to him so passionately, so wantonly. His
throat tightened at the way Robby was giving himself to Styles. The
man was holding nothing back.

Inserting a third finger, Styles quickly stretched his mate,

desperate to get inside the man. He wanted to feel like he was a part
of Robby. Styles wanted to sink inside the man and never leave.
Robby had a zest for life, and Styles wanted a piece of that. He
wanted to feel whole again. But most of all, he wanted to look at life
without the hatred that brewed in his heart.

Removing his fingers, Styles lined his cock up and then let Robby

take control, easing himself onto Styles’s shaft. He held on to his
mate, fascinated beyond measure at the way Robby was looking at
him, staring into Styles’s eyes as if he were the man’s entire world.

When he tried to turn his head, Robby placed his hand on the side

of Styles’s face, refusing to let Styles look away. “I love you, Styles. I
wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to be the light in your darkness. Let
me in, please.”

Something inside of Styles broke. He buried his face in Robby’s

neck, tightened his arms around the man’s body, and thrust his hips
upward. He could feel a small part of him healing as he made slow,
sweet love to his mate.

“Please…don’t…” Styles’s throat grew tight as he thrust his cock

into Robby’s body. “Don’t ever…” He wasn’t sure how to finish the
sentence. His emotions were raw, like an open wound. He hadn’t felt
this vulnerable since…ever.

“I have you,” Robby whispered. “And I’ll never hurt you, Styles.

I’ll never let anyone else hurt you either.”

Loving Styles

Styles shook his head, feeling as if this moment was unreal. How

could anyone love him this much? It was almost unbearable.

Robby began to purr, the sound vibrating his chest. It was the

oddest sound. Styles pulled back and gazed down at his mate. Robby
was grinning widely and then he chuckled. “Looks like you won the
challenge, stud.”

Styles threw his head back and laughed, taking Robby down to the

floor and driving his cock deep into Robby’s ass. His mate groaned,
wrapped his fingers around his bobbing cock, and began to stroke
himself.

Watching his mate try to get himself off was so fucking erotic. He

wanted to make this last all night, but being inside Robby, watching
him stroke his flesh was becoming too damn much.

Styles felt his balls draw tight to his body, a tingling racing up his

spine. He reached between them and curled his fingers over the top of
Robby’s, helping his mate get off as he kissed Robby’s shoulder and
then sank his canines into the soft flesh.

He felt his mate’s hot seed spilling between them and his hole

clamping down tightly around Styles’s cock as Robby shouted his
name. With a flurry of hard and fast thrusts, Styles finally froze,
buried as deep as he could be, his cock exploding in his mate’s ass.
He growled around the flesh his canines were buried in before he
pulled them free and licked the wound.

Robby lay there panting, his eyes glassy, a large smile on his face.

Styles just knelt there, staring down into his forever. He had just
claimed the man, the wolf, his mate and he couldn’t find it in himself
to regret what he had just done.

* * * *

Robby woke sometime in the middle of the night. His body was

sore as hell but he couldn’t stop smiling. He gazed over at Styles who

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was fast asleep. The man looked so damn peaceful with his eyes
closed. Robby wished he would always look this serene.

Pushing out of bed, Robby headed toward the bathroom. Now that

he didn’t have lust riding his mind, he thought about his house. Who
on earth would break in? It didn’t make any sense to him whatsoever.

He didn’t have any enemies.
Robby spotted his cell phone on the bathroom counter. He had

totally forgotten that he had left it there right before he took his
shower. Using the bathroom, Robby washed his hands and then
grabbed his phone.

There was a missed call and a voice mail.
It was probably Kenway telling him to show up early tomorrow.

Robby loved getting the overtime, but hated the earlier hours
sometimes.

He pressed his ear to the phone, glancing at the bathroom door

and eager to get back to bed so he could curl in next to Styles.
Whether the man knew it or not, he was a cuddle bunny in his sleep.

Robby froze, his heart beating out of control as he listened to the

message.

“You have something that belongs to me. If you don’t return it,

I’m going to make you wish you were never born.”

Loving Styles

Chapter Eight

“I’m looking at him right now,” Kota said into the phone.
“Are you sure it’s him?” Maverick asked as he dropped down

onto the sofa in his office, his mind racing as he tried to figure out
exactly what was going on.

He had sent his second to the demon realm, wanting to do a little

investigating of his own. Maverick didn’t trust that Panahasi would
tell him if Kenyon was there. He wasn’t sure, but the niggling feeling
had been with him since his meeting at Christian’s.

His hunch had been right. Kenyon somehow found his way there

and was now trying to hide out. Maverick wasn’t sure what the man
was up to, but his gut told him that nothing good was going to come
from the head Vampire Hunter being in the demon realm.

“I’m damn positive,” Kota replied. “He’s using his real name

here, not an alias.”

Odd. Very odd.
“All right. Get out of there. At least we know where he’s at.”
“Don’t you want me to stick around?” Kota asked. “We need to

know what he’s up to. I don’t like the fact that he made it here. That
means someone was paid handsomely to bring him to the demon
realm and I want to find out who it was.”

Maverick knew Kota was right, but he didn’t want to risk the

man’s life. This was a very dangerous game Kenyon was playing and
he refused to allow Kota to get caught up in the middle of it all.
Kenyon was lying low, biding his time. But for what?

“Don’t talk to the Demon Warriors,” Maverick said. “They’ll only

tell Panahasi that you’re there. I want this very low key. Do not

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confront Kenyon, Kota. I just want you to gather intel, keep tabs on
him, and let me know who he meets up with.”

“I’ve been staying under the Demon Warriors’ radar. I’ll keep my

distance from Kenyon.”

Maverick hung up, his gut telling him to pull Kota out of there,

but the man was right. They needed to know what was going on.

He dialed Christian. “Kota spotted Kenyon.”
There was a long pause before the vampire spoke. “So our

suspicions are true. Panahasi is hiding something.”

Damn, and he really liked the demon leader. But if they were

going to be a working group, shit like this couldn’t be tolerated.
Maverick ran a hand over his chin, grinning to himself. God, was he
really all for the Ultionem instead of moaning and groaning about the
super-secret club?

He sighed as he sat back, stretching his legs out in front of him.

“Looks that way.”

“Are you going to keep your man there?”
“For now.” If shit got funky, Maverick was pulling Kota. He

didn’t give a shit about Kenyon or the Demon Warriors when it came
to his pack. “I’ll keep you updated.”

“I sent someone in as well,” Christian said just as Maverick was

about to hang up.

“Who?”
“Christo. I wanted to find out what was going on. I will call him

and tell him to get with Kota. Two heads are better than one.” The
man laughed and Maverick knew the pervert was talking about having
two mates.

“Do that.” He hung up.

* * * *

Robby moved quickly through the door in the back of the bakery,

the one that led to the alley behind the shop. Making sure no one was

Loving Styles

in the kitchen, he grabbed the manila envelope from his back pocket
and shoved it under the bread slicer.

His heart was hammering in his chest as he took a few steps back.

The envelope could be the only reason someone was after him. Robby
didn’t have anything that belonged to someone else. For over a week
he’d had the thing in his possession, constantly forgetting to take it to
the post office.

He was even too afraid to look inside the envelope to see what the

person who left that threatening message was after. He didn’t care.
All he knew was that he had to figure out what to do. Whatever was
in that envelope was spurring someone into tearing Robby’s house
apart. It had to be something important.

“You’re here early.”
Robby spun around, clutching his chest. It was only Kenway. His

boss stood there with a questioning expression on his face and then
shook his head. “Styles still have you chasing your tail?”

He wished that was his only problem. “We’re working things

out.” Robby grabbed his apron and pulled it over his head and noticed
that his hands were slightly shaking. He’d never gotten a threatening
voice mail in his life. It was unnerving.

“He’ll come around,” Kenway said before leaving the kitchen.
Yeah, Styles had come around all right. The guy had claimed him

last night—and in the most erotic, sensual, and mind-blowing way.
Robby’s ass still hurt. Thoughts of the envelope and threat were soon
gone as Robby replayed last night in his head. Styles had been
everything and more.

“Someone got lucky,” Baker said as he walked into the kitchen. “I

know that look.”

Clearing his throat, Robby got to work. He wondered—as he did

last night—if maybe Styles would mellow out now. He hadn’t taken
Robby savagely, but gently, passionately. That meant the guy cared in
Robby’s book.

Lynn Hagen

“Styles is up front,” Kenway barked as he stuck his head through

the door. “Tell me you’re not going to take off.”

Robby quickly washed his hands and then hurried over to the

door. “Sorry, I can’t promise that.” They were newly mated and
Robby could feel his cock perking up at the thought of seeing his
mate again.

His steps slowed when he saw the agitated look on Styles’s face.

Something wasn’t right. Even though he didn’t expect the man to be
smiling, he at least expected him to look relaxed. But he wasn’t. His
thumb kept tapping on his thigh and his jaw was set in hard lines.

Robby walked right out of the bakery, Styles following. When he

knew they were out of earshot, he turned toward his mate. “What’s
wrong?”

Styles crossed his arms over his chest, gazing out over the street.

“Someone went through my saddlebag early this morning, before I
left for work.”

Shit. Had the person after Robby known he was with Styles? Was

he going to start harassing Robby’s mate now? “Do you think I did
it?”

His heart sank when he saw Styles’s dark-brown eyes flicker

toward him. His anger shot through the roof as he took a step forward,
glaring at the man. “I would never go through your things. I can’t
believe you would even think—why would I—” Robby walked away
from Styles before he hit the guy.

And here he thought they had some sort of trust growing between

them. He stupidly thought that he and Styles had some kind of
understanding. The man was impossible!

He felt a strong hand on his arm as Styles stopped him from

walking away. “No, I don’t think you did it.”

Robby was not appeased. “You thought it for a second.” And

knowing his mate had any kind of doubt hurt like hell. He knew
Styles wasn’t going to change overnight, but the man had to give
Robby some fucking credit.

Loving Styles

Styles looked as if a battle was waging inside of him and then he

let out a long breath. “I’m sorry.”

Wow. Did Styles just apologize to him? The guy didn’t seem the

type to tell anyone he was sorry. He glanced up to make sure the sky
wasn’t falling. “Did they take anything?”

“Nothing.”
Robby reached up and snaked his arms around Styles’s neck,

pulling his mate in close for a hug. He whispered into Styles’s ear,
“Someone is after me.”

Styles stiffened, but held Robby close. “Do you know who it is?”
“No, but an envelope was delivered to my house by mistake. I

think the person who trashed my house is the same person who left
the threatening message on my phone last night. He could also be the
same person who went through your saddlebag.”

Styles growled, his hold growing tighter. “Why didn’t you tell me

you got a threatening message last night?”

Robby kissed Styles on the side of his cheek. “Because you

looked so damn peaceful sleeping and all I wanted to do was get back
into bed with my cuddle bunny.”

“Your what?” Styles pulled back, his brows dipping.
Robby chuckled. “You love to cuddle when you sleep. Trust me, I

love it.”

Styles didn’t look happy about that. He nipped Robby on his chin

before he pulled back, his voice still subvocal. “Don’t change the
subject.”

Robby gave him a look that said he didn’t want to discuss what

was going on out in the open. There was no telling who was listening.
If the culprit was a shifter, he would be able to hear them even if he
wasn’t close by.

“Come on.” Styles grabbed his hand and damn near dragged

Robby along.

“Where are we going?” He glanced behind him, watching as they

left the bakery behind. Boy, was Kenway going to be pissed.

Lynn Hagen

“Someplace we can talk without worrying about ears.”
That was very evasive. Robby followed, trying to keep up with

Styles’s long strides. They were soon in front of the bike shop. But
instead of going inside, Styles straddled his bike. “Get on.”

“Saying please might help.” Robby crossed his arms over his

chest, tapping his foot out angrily. He wasn’t budging on this. Styles
was going to learn to stop being so damn irritable, at least with him.
Robby wanted to smile when he saw the way Styles was staring at
him. The scowl couldn’t get any deeper.

Styles handed Robby a pair of glasses and then narrowed his eyes.

“Please.” The word was spoken through gritted teeth. Robby patted
him on his shoulder as he climbed behind his mate, slipping the
glasses into place.

“That wasn’t so hard,” he said softly into Styles’s ear. “If you say

that word later, I just might suck your cock.”

He chuckled when he felt the rumble of a growl under his hands.

“Now take me to your hidden fortress.”

Styles turned his head and stared at Robby for a moment before he

pushed the bike backward and then took off. Robby gripped Styles’s
waist tightly as they weaved through town and headed out onto the
open road.

He forgot to tell his mate that he’d never ridden on a bike before.

That might have been a wise thing to bring up, but they were on the
road now. He just held on tight, resting his chin on his mate’s
shoulder.

The freedom of riding a bike was close to the same feeling Robby

had when he shifted and went for a run. He loved feeling the wind
blowing through his hair and inhaling Styles’s earthy scent. He knew
he was addicted to riding now. Robby would just have to learn to ride
a motorcycle, or maybe he wouldn’t just so he could sit behind his
mate and hold him close.

They pulled down an access road that was riddled with potholes

and debris. Styles maneuvered carefully, Robby holding on for dear

Loving Styles

life. The guy wasn’t driving fast, but he didn’t want to get knocked
off. Robby was being shaken up, his entire body bobbing around.

“Could you have picked a more messed-up road?”
His mate didn’t say anything. They just drove deeper into the

woods until Robby saw what looked like a small shack. Trees were
close to the shack, making it seem intimate and cozy. There was so
much green that Robby’s wolf was whimpering to get free and go for
a run. He calmed the beast with a promise that they would run later.
For now he needed to find out why Styles had chosen this place.

“Where are we?” he asked as he climbed from the back of the

bike, stepping right into one of the potholes. Thank goodness it hadn’t
rained or his foot would have been drenched. But he did almost lose
his balance. He gripped Styles’s leather jacket, recapturing his
steadiness.

“Some place I like to go to once in a while.”
The statement had Robby scrutinizing the small structure closer.

He tried to imagine Styles sitting out here trying to be one with
nature. He knew his mate was coyote, but he just couldn’t imagine the
man out here running around, finding peace.

“I hid the envelope.” Robby got straight to the point. “I don’t

know what’s in it, but apparently it’s enough for someone to come
after me.”

“How long have you had it?” Styles asked as he approached the

shack and opened the door. There was one window that Robby could
see and it looked like it had decades of grime smeared all over it. The
wood looked warped and in need of repair, but it held as Styles swung
the door open.

“A little over a week.” Robby trailed behind Styles, wanting to see

what was inside. The closed-up smell hit him first. No one had been
here in a while. Dust floated around in the little shards of sun that
managed to penetrate this deep in the forest. When he stepped fully
inside, the only thing in the one room place was a cot, a small table,

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and a chair. There was also a very small potbelly stove that stood in
the middle of the hovel.

Since it was midsummer, Robby knew Styles wouldn’t be lighting

it. His mate dusted off the chair and then waved for Robby to take a
seat. “I own some of this land. Since I didn’t ask Maverick for a
business loan, he gave me rights to his little shack and twenty acres.
He said something about head time.” Styles grumbled the last part.

“That was really nice of him,” Robby said conversationally. “This

seems like a nice area.”

Styles shrugged. “I was thinking of tearing this down and building

a small cottage. The place is pretty secluded and there is plenty of
land to run.” The man grimaced and he knew the guy was thinking
about Robby’s wolf. Sooner or later Styles was going to have to deal
with Robby’s beast. But for right now, he was opting for later. They
had to work on them first.

“Would I be invited to live out here with you?” Robby had to ask.

Just because they were mated now didn’t mean that Styles was going
to pronounce to the world that he had claimed a wolf. The man
seemed to have a hard time accepting that still. He accepted Robby,
but his wolf was a whole other kettle of fish.

“Of course,” Styles said without hesitation, making Robby’s heart

lighter. “Would you really want to live out here? It’s pretty damn far
from town.”

Robby wiggled his brows playfully, trying his best to ease the

tension lines on Styles’s face. “Then I’ll have my secluded spot where
the FBI won’t find you.”

He finally took a seat in the chair and started imagining what kind

of cottage they should build. Whatever they came up with, Robby was
going to insist that they have a huge walk-in shower like Styles had at
the Manchester place.

Robby hadn’t wanted to get out of the damn thing last night.
“Why?” Styles asked as he pressed his back into one of the walls

and shoved his hands in his front pockets.

Loving Styles

Robby was confused. “Why what?”
The man looked like he was mulling things over, his dark-brown

brows drawn down as he chewed on the side of his lip. His eyes
darted over to Robby and then he lifted his head. “Why did you come
after me? Why did you keep pushing after I went apeshit in the
bakery?”

Ah, the guy wanted to know why Robby cared so much without

directly asking the question. The shifters Styles lived with were
probably good friends, but outside their little group, had anyone
extended a caring hand toward this man? If not, that was a damn
shame. Robby knew deep down that Styles was a good guy. He had
just been fucked over royally by life. “Because I wasn’t giving up on
my mate. The odds were already stacked against me, but I’m not a
quitter. Things that should tear us apart are only going to make us
stronger.” It was the honest truth. “You deserve a shot at happiness,
Styles. Your happily ever after, if you will.”

Styles scowled at Robby. “This isn’t a fairy tale.”
Robby’s heart hurt for Styles. The man just didn’t see himself as

someone a wolf could truly love. “It could be.” He stood, walking
over to his mate and cupping Styles’s face. “We could make it our
very own fairy tale. All you have to do is let go of the pain and hate.
Just let me in and shed your coat of anger.”

“It isn’t that easy.”
“Yes”—Robby ran this thumb over Styles’s bottom lip—“it is.

You are staring down at your mate right now. We are going to be
together for a very long time. Will you ever trust me fully, Styles?
Will you ever let go of enough hate to love me?”

Styles didn’t answer him. The man dipped his head and pressed

his lips against Robby’s, fighting with his tongue to get Robby to
respond. He knew in the shadow of the room that this was the only
answer he was going to get.

His mate wasn’t ready to let go, ready to love him. He accepted

Robby as his mate, but that’s as far as it would go right now. A piece

Lynn Hagen

of him died right there in the dust-covered room as he finally opened
his mouth and let Styles have his way. There was no use fighting with
the guy. At least the man hadn’t lied to him. That was a very small
comfort in regards to the big picture.

Loving Styles was heartbreaking, but Robby knew he wasn’t

going to give up. Styles needed someone who would continue to push,
continue to break down his walls until none were standing.

Loving Styles

Chapter Nine

Styles dropped Robby off at the bakery. He wasn’t even sure why

he had taken the man out to the small shack. It was a place he used
when he needed to think, needed to get away. He had never shared it
with anyone before.

He had been a coward when his mate had asked him a simple

question that didn’t have a simple answer. He may not have had a
ready answer, but he could have said something instead of trying to
kiss his mate into forgetfulness.

Robby hadn’t asked him anything after the kiss. He could see the

quiet acceptance in the man’s hazel eyes and it killed a part of Styles
to know the emotional wreck he was making of things. But he wasn’t
going to lie to Robby just to appease the man.

“Got a job for you in the back,” Dagon Santiago said as soon as

Styles walked through the door. “Guy wants it fixed by closing. I told
him no problem.”

Instead of his usual flippant reply, Styles just gave a nod as he

clocked back in and grabbed the repair order. The bike belonged to a
guy named Stephan Jackson. Styles remembered the guy. He was one
of the firefighters that had started after that whack job Sampson had
been arrested and sent to the nuthouse.

There were two others who had been hired as well, although

Styles couldn’t remember their names. He remembered Stephan only
because the man came in here often to buy accessories for his
motorcycle.

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Tossing the chart aside, Styles got to work. He pushed aside all

thoughts of Robby and the fucked-up morning they had together. But
the one thing he didn’t forget was that someone was after his mate.

He saw Dagon step into the shop from the corner of his eye. The

man grabbed the chart that Styles had tossed aside, glancing over the
work order. “Will you have this done by closing?”

Styles nodded. “It’s a simple repair job.”
When Dagon continued to watch him, Styles knew the man had

come back here for another reason. He just wished the man would spit
out what he had to say and leave him to his work. He hated being
watched over. Finally, after a long moment, Styles set his tool down
and glanced up. “Something I can help you with?”

Dagon rubbed his jaw and then pointed a finger at Styles.

“There’s something different about you.”

It could be the fact that Styles wasn’t snapping at the man. “I’m

wearing boxer briefs instead of going commando,” Styles replied.
“Thank you for being so perceptive.”

“That’s what it is,” Dagon said, smiling as if happy he’d figured it

out. “You aren’t your usual sourpuss self.”

Styles did not like being scrutinized. “Are you trying to invite me

to a company picnic or something?” he snapped. “If not, get the fuck
out of here so I can finish my work. And if you are inviting me, the
answer is hell no.”

“You had me worried,” Dagon said and Styles could tell the guy

was getting a kick out of this. “For a second there I thought you were
actually changing into a tolerable man.”

“The bike will be done by quitting time.” Styles grabbed his tool

and went back to work, totally ignoring the man standing a few feet
away. He no longer wanted to take part in the conversation. But
Dagon’s words had sown the seeds and now the thoughts were
growing in Styles’s head.

Dagon’s reaction was the total opposite of what was normal. He

should be worried if Styles was snapping, not the other way around.

Loving Styles

Styles grew agitated as he worked, gripping his tools tighter in his
hand.

Nine damn days around his mate and Styles was starting to open

his eyes to the possibilities around him. He didn’t like change, not in
the least. Change had always brought something bad with it. Styles
was sick of bad things.

But this was Robby. How could change be bad with a man who

was good to him? Styles was pulled from thought when his cell phone
rang. It was sitting over on the bench. He set the ratchet down and
grabbed it, pressing it to his ear.

“Hey, Styles, it’s Kenway. Did you take my head baker again?”
“I dropped him off a little while ago. He should be there.” Styles

remembered the man after Robby and his pulse quickened. “How long
ago did he leave?”

“That’s just it,” Kenway said. “I didn’t even know he was gone.

He usually tells me when he’s taking off with you.”

Styles gripped the phone tighter, his mind racing. “Was the door

to the alley open?”

“Uh, yeah,” the man replied. “How did you know?”
Styles headed out of the bay door in the back, going straight for

his bike when he heard something that sounded like a trash can was
being knocked over. Turning in the direction of the noise, Styles
walked up the side of the building, his eyes landing on a pair of feet.
“I found him.” He tossed the phone down and dropped to his knees.
Robby was lying there, holding his gut and staring up at Styles with
fear.

“I tried to make it to you,” he whimpered. “He took me by

surprise. I tried, Styles. I really did.”

“Calm down,” he said as he gently pulled Robby’s hands away

from his stomach. Styles stopped the quick inhale of breath when he
saw the man’s shirt saturated in blood. “Let’s get you inside. We’ll
deal with everything else later.”

Lynn Hagen

He scooped Robby from the ground with ease, carrying his mate

back into the bike shop. He knew what Robby had to do. The man
needed to shift in order to heal. “Dagon!” Styles shouted as he laid
Robby on a cloth-covered sofa in the back. It was a ratty grey couch
that had seen better days, but it was serving its purpose now.

Instead of Dagon answering the worried shout, Tryck appeared in

the back part of the shop. Styles did not need this right now. He didn’t
want to deal with Tryck Santiago and his smart-ass comments. In the
mood Styles was in, he’d deck the guy.

“What happened to him?” Tryck looked enraged. His expression

was murderous as he glanced from Robby to Styles.

“What, do you think I did this?” Styles stood, swinging around to

face the man. “Do you think I stabbed him?”

It took a momentary pause for Tryck to answer him. Styles was

ready to lay into the guy until the man spoke. “I don’t think you did
this. You need to make him shift.” His eyes flashed back over to
Robby.

There was a minute trace of anger in the man’s tone.
“I got this,” he said as he turned back around. “Tell Dagon that the

bike won’t be ready on time.”

“Don’t worry about the bike, mi hermano perdido,” Tryck said.

“Just take care of your mate.”

Brushing Robby’s hair aside, Styles patted his mate’s cheek

lightly. The guy had passed out. That wasn’t good. If he lost too much
blood before he shifted, Robby could die. “Hey, Robby,” he said as he
continued to pat the man’s cheek. “Wake up.”

“You are being too gentle,” Tryck snarled. “Wake up, Robby!”
Styles growled at Tryck who merely shrugged. He was about to

go off on the man for screaming at his mate, but then Robby’s eyes
fluttered open. His skin was turning paler, his eyes duller.

“I need you to shift,” Styles said softly. “You need to heal.”
Robby licked his lips before he spoke, his voice barely above a

whisper. “But you hate wolves.”

Loving Styles

Was the man serious? He was willing to die in order not to let his

wolf free? Styles couldn’t believe the sacrifice his mate was going to
make in order to stop Styles from going apeshit. “Shift, damn it,” he
gritted out. “I won’t lose you.”

Styles was thrown into his past as he watched Robby slowly

change into his wolf. The fur sprouted, his muzzle emerged, and
Styles was trying his best to hold it together. He had been fooling
himself. He had told himself that he could mate Robby but that was
because he hadn’t seen the man in his wolf form.

He was seeing it now and he had to take a step back as all the

years of hatred and resentment came flooding forward. He stared at
Robby—the wolf—his mate. He wanted to hate Robby. Styles wanted
to renounce his claim—no, he didn’t—yes, he did.

“Can you handle him changing into a wolf, reminding you what

fate gave you? You are facing your worst fear, mi hermano perdido.”
Tryck’s voice held a tone of sadness. “You are looking at your enemy
that you have mated.”

“H–He’s not my enemy.” Styles curled his fingers in, reminding

himself that it was Robby lying on the ratty old couch, not the ones
who killed his parents, not the ones who tortured him as a young
adult.

This wolf cared about him, had sent him ransom notes, and never

gave up. This wolf pushed and pushed as Styles pushed back. He
hadn’t given up and he hadn’t let Styles chase him off.

“Do you feel the need to kill him?” Tryck moved closer, his eyes

going from Styles to Robby. “Do you feel that hate eating you alive?”

“I—” Styles’s eyes swept over the wolf, his light tan fur, the way

his chest rose and fell quickly, and waited for the all-consuming rage
to rear its head—for his emotions to tear apart what he was starting—
had been feeling—toward his mate.

Styles dropped to his knees, covering his face with his hands as he

mourned the loss of his parents once more. Images of those

Lynn Hagen

responsible became vivid in his mind, like a long lost ghost coming
back to haunt him—a ghost that had never truly left.

“If you can never love him the way he deserves to be loved, you

must let him go. A life cannot be built on hatred. You have a choice to
make, mi hermano perdido—your hatred or your mate. You cannot
have both.”

“Just shut up!” Styles rocked back and forth, hearing the truth in

Tryck’s words but unable to face it. “What do you know about mating
the enemy? What do you know about hating someone so deeply that it
scars you?”

“Do you hate Robby? Is he the enemy you refer to?”
Images of the man cornering Styles in the shack came to mind.

Had anyone ever looked at him with such love in their eyes? Styles
had felt those raw, vulnerable emotions coming from Robby down to
his very core. The man hadn’t been lying. He loved Styles and Styles
knew Robby would sacrifice his life for Styles.

“He’s not my enemy,” Styles whispered into the room.
“Then who is your enemy?”
Styles gritted his teeth, wading through the pain, the anguish, and

the hatred, trying to find solid ground to rest on. “Those who hurt me,
my parents. The men who took their lives, who tried to take mine.”

“Am I your enemy?”
Styles glanced up at Tryck, seeing in the man’s eyes that he

wasn’t trying to be an ass but asking a genuine question. “No, but you
like to fuck with me because of my hatred.”

Tryck shrugged, looking unapologetic. “True, but only because I

have not aggrieved you yet you snarl in ways that irritate me. I am
who I am, Styles. I am better with negative than positive. But the
difference between you and I is that I only hate those who have
wronged me and are mildly perturbed by those I just don’t like.”

“Why did you hire me?” Styles had always wanted to ask that

question but his pride had never let him utter those words.

Loving Styles

The side of Tryck’s mouth twisted into a smile. “Maverick

suggested it. He told me that a coyote who needed to find his way was
going to ask for a job and that I needed to hire him. I normally try to
do everything in my power to piss that man off, but”—Tryck let out a
long sigh—“it was a part of my loan agreement.”

Now Styles was simply confused. “But this bike shop has been

open for years. How did he know about me back then?”

“The man is strange that way. He sees shit no one else sees. I may

have my differences with the alpha, but one thing I have learned over
the years is that he truly cares about the underdog, children, and those
who are lost.” Tryck narrowed his eyes at Styles. “But if you tell him
I said any of this, I’ll deny it all and come after you.”

Styles turned back toward Robby, but instead of feeling the hatred

that had first consumed him, he wanted revenge against the man who
had attacked his mate. “I won’t change overnight, Tryck. I still don’t
like you.”

Tryck chuckled. “The day you start liking me will mean I am

losing my touch, mi hermano perdido. I am acerbic on purpose. It is
in my nature, but not yours. I don’t see you as a man who hates the
world.”

But he did—had. Styles wasn’t sure any longer. Nothing seemed

to be how it was and Styles knew that he was indeed changing. Robby
had been the catalyst. He had shown Styles that being loved by a wolf
wasn’t a bad thing.

He watched as Tryck left the room and then Styles turned toward

his mate. He inched closer, getting a better look. For a wolf, Robby
was handsome. His fur looked soft to the touch, and he was smaller
than Styles would have assumed. Could he love Robby that way he
deserved to be loved?

Hate or mate?
Styles knew in his heart that he was going to choose his mate.

Tryck was right—although he would never tell the man this—he
couldn’t have both. Styles settled in next to the couch, placing his arm

Lynn Hagen

over Robby’s body. He stared at the sleeping wolf, and knowing that
this was his mate, Robby, Styles felt no hatred, only sadness at the
injustice his parents had suffered.

Reese was also right. They would be happy that he had found his

mate.

Styles snapped his head around when he heard a noise behind

him. He was ready to attack until he saw that it was Reese. How in the
fuck did the man do it? How did he always know when Styles was
hurting?

“Kenway told me that Robby had disappeared from the bakery. I

just wanted to check on him.”

“That man is a bigger gossip than Spencer.” Styles snarled the

words. “He’ll be fine as soon as he’s finished healing.”

“What happened?” Reese grabbed a crate and turned it over,

taking a seat as he rested his arms on his thighs.

“Someone stabbed him.” Saying the words only reminded Styles

that he had someone to hunt down and kill. Now more than ever he
wanted to know what was in that damn envelope. He knew Robby had
hidden the thing, but Styles was ready to find out what was in it and
then hand it over to the alpha to deal with.

Robby wasn’t cut out for this cloak and dagger bullshit. The man

was a baker, not a fighter. Styles would take up his fight. He was
more suited for that job. Robby was sweet and innocent.

“Do you know who did this?” He could hear the rumble of anger

in Reese’s chest.

“Not yet, but I’m going to find out.” Styles was going to show that

person that no one fucked with his mate. Robby was his and this
couldn’t go unpunished. If he let it go, then he was only inviting more
trouble.

“We are going to find out,” Reese corrected him. “I’m not letting

you go this alone. Why should you have all the fun?”

“We’re not going on vacation, Reese. We’re hunting down the

man who hurt Robby so I can kill him.”

Loving Styles

Reese nodded. “I know.”
Smoothing his hand over Robby’s fur, Styles was beginning to see

that his hatred had blinded him to a lot of things. He had always
called Reese friend, but Styles had kept the man at arm’s length. He
had kept everyone at arm’s length, afraid of letting them get too close,
terrified of either losing them or being betrayed by those he thought
cared.

“Thanks,” he murmured. “Thanks for always being there for me,

even when I didn’t want you there.”

Reese let out a low laugh. “You getting soft on me, coyote?”
Styles narrowed his eyes at Reese. “You still aren’t watching us

have sex.”

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Ten

Styles slowly mopped the floor, watching everyone around him.

The lobby of the law firm was pristine, not really needing further
cleaning, but Styles was on a mission. Reese had talked him into
thinking things through. The man had told him not to go in guns
blazing. Maverick had done a little digging and found out the man
who had hired the hit man was a lawyer at a law firm in the city. His
name was Joseph Levitt. The guy being human, Styles couldn’t just
walk in here and openly kill the man.

He kept his head down, trying to look as nondescript as he could.

Styles wasn’t going to let the murder of Joseph Levitt fall on anyone’s
head back in Brac Village. The town was already being scrutinized
enough by the Vampire Hunters.

The man at the security desk headed his way.
Styles had moved into position when one of the real janitors had

called in sick. He had knocked out the person coming in from the
temp agency. The man was currently taking a nap in the backseat of
his car.

He was also tied up and had a piece of duct tape over his mouth

just in case the guy woke early.

“Get up to the second floor. There’s been a spill in Mr. Levitt’s

office,” the guard said to him. Styles nodded, making sure there was
no eye contact as he pushed the mop bucket toward the elevator.
Reese had posed as a client needing advice. He told Styles that he
would make sure something spilled.

Loving Styles

As the elevator doors opened, Styles stepped on as Reese exited.

They locked eyes for a moment, Reese giving him a subtle nod,
telling him that Mr. Levitt was in.

Styles’s fingers curled around the mop handle as the doors closed.

He was going to teach the man about hiring someone to come after his
mate. Maverick had assured him that if he found the hit man, he
would hold the guy until Styles returned.

It was a very strange feeling having wolves help him. Reese was a

polar bear, but the Santiago brothers had given him the day off to go
find the lawyer. Robby was at home, under lock and key until they
found the hit man. Ryker, one of the white Siberian tiger shifters, was
watching over Styles’s mate.

“Right in here,” someone said as soon as the elevator doors

opened. “A client knocked over the water cooler in Mr. Levitt’s office
and I need you to clean it up before the water ruins anything.”

From the way the woman was worrying her hands, Styles guessed

that she was Mr. Levitt’s secretary. He didn’t stick around long
enough to ask. He moved in the direction that she was pointing, not
uttering a word.

The secretary went back behind her desk, not giving Styles

another thought. That was what he wanted. Styles didn’t want anyone
remembering him. Oh my, someone killed Mr. Levitt? I don’t
remember anyone suspicious going into his office. That was exactly
how he wanted it to go down when the body was discovered.

Walking into the office as if he did this sort of work all the time,

Styles glanced over his shoulder to make sure nobody was watching
before he silently closed the door behind him. He cursed under his
breath when he saw that the office was empty. Where in the hell was
that lawyer?

Grabbing the expensive-looking coat off the back of the chair,

Styles tossed it onto the spilled water. He wasn’t here to clean the
damn thing up. Instead of waiting idly for the human to return, Styles
started poking around.

Lynn Hagen

He found nothing of interest until he came across a locked drawer.

Styles gave a hard tug, using his shifter strength to pry it open. The
drawer protested before the wood splintered. He slid it open and
glanced inside.

My oh my. Why would a lawyer have a gun hidden in his drawer?

He wondered if the human had ever used it, and if he had, had it been
to kill any nonhumans? Styles also spotted an envelope. Plucking it
from the drawer, he opened it.

As Styles scanned over the paper, he felt the lead weight settle in

his stomach as his heart began to beat harder. He turned to the next
page, and then the next, finding any nonhuman’s worst nightmare.

The pages contained names, addresses, and what species or breed

the person was. It was a very detailed compilation of intel on the
paranormal world. How in the fuck did Mr. Levitt get this? There was
only one answer. A paranormal creature had betrayed them. No
human could possibly know all of this.

Hearing a noise outside the door, Styles shoved the list back into

the envelope and then slid it down the back of his pants, placing his
shirt over the evidence. Styles was willing to bet his life the copy of
that list was in the envelope that Robby was currently hiding. That
was enough for anybody to kill for.

Maybe Mr. Levitt had sent the list to another hunter, the envelope

getting lost in the mail. That was a damn good reason to hire a hit
man. He had to get this information to Maverick because Styles had
no clue what to do with it.

Grabbing the mop bucket, Styles headed toward the door. He

moved quickly toward the elevator, thanking fate that the secretary
was nowhere in sight. He didn’t need her going into the office to find
out that he hadn’t cleaned up the mess. Styles definitely didn’t need
her to find out that he had thrown the expensive jacket over the water.

He had gone there with the intention of killing the lawyer, but

since he now knew that the man was a Vampire Hunter, Styles needed
to take a step back and consider the situation. Oh, he was still going to

Loving Styles

kill the hit man for going after his mate, but going after the man who
had sanctioned the hit would have to wait.

As the elevator doors slid closed, Styles shook his head. This was

the first time he had stopped to consider the consequences. Before
meeting Robby, Styles would’ve waited around for the lawyer and
then sliced his throat, uncaring what happened next.

Styles was constantly amazed at how much Robby was changing

him. He wanted to become a better man. Styles wanted to always see
the love in Robby’s eyes when his mate looked at him. He didn’t want
to do anything to tarnish that.

The elevator doors slid open and Styles pushed the mop bucket

through the basement and storied it where it belonged. He headed out
of the service entrance, never looking behind him as he headed back
home.

* * * *

Maverick glanced over the list that the coyote had just given him.

How in the hell had the humans gotten their hands on this kind of
information? The traitor had to be someone who moved in and out of
the different packs and covens with ease.

There was only one person that Maverick could think of. There

was only one person that would have all of this information at the
ready. He picked his phone up and called upstairs to Dr. Sheehan’s
office.

“Would you mind coming down to my office for a moment?”

Maverick asked Nicholas.

“Of course, I’ll be right down.”
Maverick refused to believe that Dr. Sheehan had betrayed them

all. He was a part of Maverick’s household, a trusted member in the
paranormal world. He had treated patients not only of Brac Village,
but in Pride Pack Valley, and on occasion, he had gone to Christian’s
as well.

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Lynn Hagen

But there was a tiny part of him that wondered if maybe the doctor

hadn’t done something like this. There was no reason in Maverick’s
mind for Dr. Sheehan to hand over those files. Nothing would explain
the treachery.

The office door opened and Maverick watched as Dr. Sheehan

stuck his head in. “Do I need my medical bag?”

Maverick waved toward the chair in front of his desk. “There is no

need for your bag. I just want to have a word with you.”

Nicholas moved into the office, taking a seat. “I’ve known you for

too many years, Maverick. What’s going on?”

Handing the list across the desk, Maverick watched as Dr.

Sheehan took it, his eyes scanning each page. He glanced up,
confusion written all over his face. “What is this?”

“A list that was found in a human’s office.”
Maverick saw the exact moment when knowledge dawned in

Nicholas’s eyes. “You think I gave this to someone?” There was
outrage in the man’s voice. “I might be human, but I’m a doctor first.
There is no goddamn way in hell I would’ve ever handed this over to
anyone.”

The man’s reaction was too genuine, his rage too raw. “I want you

to help me figure out how this list got into a Vampire Hunter’s
hands.”

Nicholas threw the papers up onto the desk, sitting back as he

sulked. And then in the next breath, he was sitting up straight. The
man looked contemplative for a moment before he spoke. “A few
weeks back I noticed some of my files were out of order. I’m very
meticulous when it comes to my files. I couldn’t explain it so I let it
go.”

This time it was Maverick’s turn to sit forward. An alarm had

gone off a few weeks back. Maverick had thought that Cecil was
sneaking out to have some fun, coercing Carter into taking him. It
seemed his assumption was wrong. “Someone broke into your office.”

Loving Styles

101

“But how?” Nicholas asked. “This place isn’t exactly easy to

break into.”

“It is if you have paranormal help.” Maverick’s fist slammed

down on his desk. If Kenyon enlisted paranormal help to get into the
demon realm, what’s to say that the lawyer didn’t enlist help to get
into the Den?

If he ever found out what fey helped the lawyer, Maverick was

going to nail the man’s balls to the wall. He had underestimated the
Hunters’ thirst for knowledge. They were determined to gather as
much intel as they possibly could about the paranormal world.

Now that he knew how thirsty there were, Maverick planned on

getting as much information on them as well. He was going to use the
information for the same reason they were gathering theirs…to
eradicate those bastards.

* * * *

“Can I at least go into the backyard?” Robby asked as he

strummed his fingers on the dining room table.

“Nope,” Recker said. “There’s a hit man after you. Why on earth

would you want to go out into the open?”

Because Robby was bored out of his mind. He wasn’t used to

sitting around on his ass all day. He wanted to keep busy so he would
remember that someone had stabbed him right in his gut. He still
shivered when he thought about how the man had lured him out of the
kitchen at the bakery. Whoever that guy was, he was damn good at
making wounded dog noises.

Robby wanted to kick himself for falling for such a ruse.
Deciding that he couldn’t just sit around, Robby walked into the

kitchen and began to check the cupboards. He pulled out everything
he would need to make some chocolate chip cookies. He was
surprised that all the ingredients he would need were at the ready.

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Lynn Hagen

Feeling a little better with something to do, Robby preheated the oven
and began to mix the ingredients into a bowl.

Baking always helped relax Robby. And if ever there was a time

he needed to relax, it was now. His mate was off chasing down some
lawyer to kill him, a hit man was after Robby, and Robby still wasn’t
sure how his mate felt when he saw him shift to his wolf form. His
mate had taken off before Robby had woken up.

There was just too much shit going on. Why couldn’t his life be

simple once more? Okay, it wasn’t simple when dealing with Styles,
but Robby could do without someone trying to off him. He never
asked to get involved in that. He should’ve just returned that fucking
envelope the day he had received it.

Placing the raw dough on the cookie sheet, Robby shoved the pan

into the oven and then sat at the table in the kitchen. He couldn’t
understand why he didn’t go to work. There was no way in hell
someone was going to come after him when Kenway was around.
This waiting for the bad guy to be caught stuff was nerve racking.

“Oh hell’s bells,” Frisco said as he walked into the kitchen.

“Please tell me you’re baking something sweet.”

“I threw together some chocolate chip cookies,” Robby answered

the man. “I had to do something besides sitting around on my ass.”

“Be lucky you still have an ass to sit on,” Frisco replied as he

walked over to the oven and squatted, peeking inside. “You damn
near got killed. I wouldn’t be complaining about being stationary.”

That was true. But he still worried about Styles’s reaction to

seeing Robby’s wolf. His relationship with the man wasn’t exactly
what Robby would call in a blissful state. They were still feeling each
other out. He hoped like hell that this didn’t set them back.

Even if it had, Robby wasn’t giving up. He hadn’t come this far to

have Styles push him away once again. If he had to, Robby would
kidnap the stubborn man and take him out to that shack and torture
him with sex until he saw reason.

Loving Styles

103

He removed the cookies from the oven and set them on a cooling

rack before having another seat. Now that the cookies were done,
Robby was without anything to do.

Robby sat very still when Reese and Styles walked through the

side door. He tried his best to gauge the man’s reaction, but from the
look on his mate’s face, he wasn’t sure he wanted to talk to him right
now.

Styles looked pissed.
He watched Reese tap Ryker on the shoulder and then nod toward

the living room. They were giving Robby and Styles some time alone.
He sat there waiting for the man to say something, anything to
indicate if they were back at square one. But Styles didn’t say a word.
He walked over to the fridge and grabbed something to drink, before
pushing his back against the counter.

“Are we okay?” Robby asked, unable to stand the tension any

longer.

“I’m not going to lie, Robby. Seeing you in your wolf form

triggered a lot of flashbacks.”

Robby jumped from his chair, stabbing a finger in Styles’s

direction. “I won’t let you throw me away, Styles. I know, I get it.
You hate wolves. I tried my best not to shift in front of you, but you
insisted. Now look where it’s gotten us.”

Styles set his drink down before walking over to Robby, giving

him a small growl. “I was going to say before I was interrupted that I
worked a lot of shit out in my head. I still hate the wolves responsible
for my parents’ death, and my torture. But I don’t blame you. I can’t
hate and love you at the same time.”

“I did it again, didn’t I?” Robby said and then swallowed roughly.

When was he going to learn not to get ahead of himself? “I jumped to
conclusions.”

Styles snagged Robby around the nape of his neck and pulled him

close, making Robby’s pulse jump, his stomach clench, and he had an
urge to run. Shivers ran through him as Styles dipped his head and

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Lynn Hagen

pressed his lips against the shell of Robby’s ear. His breath was
warm, inviting, and made Robby feel tingly. “Yeah, you did.”

Robby cocked his head to the side, wanting the closeness, but

wanting answers as well. He gazed up into dark-brown eyes,
searching. “Did you just say you loved me?”

From the expression on Styles’s face, Robby could tell the man

looked like he had been caught off guard, as if he hadn’t meant to let
the love word slip out. Instinct told him that Styles was ready to bolt if
need be. Robby grabbed his mate around the waist, ready to pull him
back if he even tried. “Answer me.”

“I don’t hate you,” Styles answered and Robby could actually feel

the man’s pulse speeding up under his hands. Their eyes stayed
locked for a moment, Styles’s body growing stiffer in Robby’s arms.

Robby was ready to push the subject, but didn’t want to hear the

words when they were being forced out of the man. He would rather
his mate tell him when he was ready to say it. Not before then. “Did
you find the lawyer?”

Styles looked relieved at the change of subject. “No, but I found

some interesting stuff. I need that envelope you hid.” Robby listened
as Styles explained what he had found. He couldn’t believe what he
was hearing. Who would compile a list like that?

Knowing the intimacy between them just moments before was

shattered, Robby released Styles. He took a step back, giving himself
room to breathe and giving Styles the space he obviously needed.
Even though the man hadn’t said the three words Robby wanted to
hear, the guy had said them in a roundabout way.

He would have to accept that…for now. “Do you think the

envelope has anything to do with the lawyer?”

Styles still didn’t look relaxed, as if Robby would jump in front of

him at any second and demand to know if Styles loved him. “I think a
copy of that list is in that envelope you are hiding. I need to get it to
Maverick. None of us needs that envelope to fall into the wrong
hands.”

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Robby wholeheartedly agreed. He wanted nothing more to do

with that freaking envelope. It had caused him nothing but trouble.
The sooner he got that damn thing out of his hands, the better. “I hid it
under the bread slicer at work.”

Styles grabbed his cell phone. “Hey, Kenway, look under the

bread slicer.”

“You were already looking for it?” Robby asked.
His mate nodded, pulling the phone away from his ear. “We

couldn’t let it fall into the wrong hands.” Styles pressed the phone
back against his ear as he listened. “What do you mean it’s not
there?”

Robby’s heart sped up. Someone had found the duplicate copy.

But who?

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Chapter Eleven

Kenyon sat across the table from Marino Malone. He didn’t trust

this man. There was something about the guy that set off every
warning bell he possessed. Kenyon normally wasn’t intimidated by
anyone, but a little voice in the back of his mind told him to be wary.

“I’m told you are a very influential man, Kenyon,” Marino said as

a waiter set a glass of wine down in front of the guy. “If this is true,
we may just have a deal.”

Kenyon had motive behind what he did. He didn’t think that

nonhumans should exist. They were an abomination against nature.
The thought of wiping them all out crossed his mind more times than
he could count.

But what were Marino’s motives? What drove this man besides

apparent greed and the allure of power? Kenyon’s instincts were
normally on point and his gut was telling him that Marino Malone
was far more dangerous than Kenyon could ever be.

Nonetheless, he kept his features in check as he gave the man a

tight nod. “We might,” he agreed. “I have always believed that
combining forces was a very smart way to obtain one’s goals.”

Actually Kenyon believed that getting rid of the competition was

the only way. But Marino was not a man who would be easily killed.
He had tied up the loose ends, killing the lawyer and hit man who had
gone after Robby. Kenyon had his second go into Brac Village and
steal the list. It wasn’t that hard considering the back door to the
bakery was always left open during the day. His man just had to wait
until no one was in the kitchen. The mission had been accomplished

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and now the paper was currently residing in his jacket pocket. Having
spies everywhere was a handy thing.

Kenyon had someone watching Robby from the opened back door

of the bakery and had seen where he had hidden that envelope. The
lawyer had gotten sloppy and had become a liability Kenyon didn’t
need. But as he stared across the table at Marino, he knew that
sometimes the enemy was a very good ally.

Hmm, maybe the man could actually be of some use to me.
Marino raised his wineglass, a deceiving smile on his face.

“Here’s to new partnerships.”

Kenyon raised his as well. “And future endeavors.”

* * * *

Styles stared across the room at his mate. He wanted to say

something, just one word…one word. But when Robby had called
him on it, Styles had frozen. He had never uttered the L word in his
life. It wasn’t a word he casually threw around. The word meant
something to him.

And so did Robby. When it came time for him to finally use that

word, something inside Styles had shut down. He hadn’t been able to
breathe, think, or put two thoughts together. He was the dominant
male, the alpha between the two, yet Robby always seemed so much
larger than life. The man knew what he wanted and went after it.

Nothing seemed to dissuade the man. He was like a ball of

harnessed energy. Anytime Robby looked his way, Styles always got
the feeling that Robby was fucking him with his eyes. The hazel
turned to molten, liquid fire, the man’s eyes caressing Styles as if they
were hands.

Styles had been unable to say those three words that he knew

Robby wanted to hear, yet the man didn’t seem upset. If anything, he
looked more determined than ever.

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“I don’t understand why the envelope isn’t there,” Robby said as

he sat at the kitchen table. The man was talking, but Styles could tell
his mind was somewhere else. Styles moved behind the counter as a
strange sensation to put something between them came over him. His
mate was talking but Styles couldn’t think past the point where Robby
had pressed into him, asking if Styles loved him.

“Styles?”
His eyes flickered up to see Robby staring at him pensively. His

heart quickened, his hands became sweaty, and Styles’s throat grew
so tight that he was finding it hard to breathe. How could one look
affect him so deeply? “Yes?”

Robby gave him a cocky smile, like he knew what Styles was

thinking. His hazel eyes twinkled as the smile grew wider. “Did you
hear me?”

Even though he hadn’t, Styles nodded. “The envelope.”
Robby’s boyish good looks intensified as he gave a light chuckle.

“That’s not all I said.”

Clearing his throat, Styles tried to shake the overpowering feeling

that was gripping him. “You’ll have to repeat yourself.”

“I said, stop looking as if I have you cornered.” Robby waved a

hand toward Styles. “You don’t need to put the counter between us.”

Styles glanced down at the marble, feeling a bit stupid because

Robby had known what he was doing. “We need to get to the bakery
and find out what happened.”

Robby stood, walking slowly toward him. “What can we do,

Styles, dust for prints? The envelope is gone and I haven’t a clue
where to start searching, do you?”

Styles was unable to think the closer Robby came. The man was

walking toward him like he was a predator and Styles was prey. He
stood there unmoving like a jackrabbit as the wolf got closer, scenting
the air and smiling with wicked joy. That’s how he felt at the moment,
as if Robby were going to catch Styles and devour him.

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109

His mate came around the counter, placing a hand on either side

of Styles, gazing up at him. Styles held his breath as he stared down at
the man. He wasn’t sure what to think and had no clue what Robby
was up to.

His heart gave a wild kick, wondering how Robby could look any

more gorgeous than he already did, but as Styles gazed into hazel
eyes, he knew the truth. He loved Robby beyond anything he could
put into words, past anything he had ever felt for another being, and
wished like hell he could say those words to his mate.

They were stuck in his throat, refusing to pass his lips.
Robby leaned up, pressing his lips to Styles’s cheek, inhaling

deeply as a small rumble vibrated in his throat. “I love you, Styles.
You don’t have to say it back. I just wanted you to know how much I
truly do love you.” His mate kissed the part of Styles’s face where the
cheek ended and the ear began.

Styles cupped the back of Robby’s head, bringing the man

impossibly closer before turning and brushing his lips over his mate’s.
Robby let out a small moan before opening his mouth and sucking
Styles’s tongue down his throat.

His hand gripped Robby’s scalp tighter as Styles slanted his head

and took the kiss deeper. He was trying his best to pour all of his
pent-up emotions into that one kiss, letting Robby know without
words what the man meant to him.

“Upstairs,” Robby whispered into his mouth. “I need you, Styles.

I need you badly.”

Styles didn’t hesitate. He broke the kiss and grabbed his mate’s

hand, pulling him quickly upstairs. He slammed the door behind
them, nearly tearing his own clothes off as Robby undressed. When
they came back together, it was almost like a heavenly sigh. Skin
touched skin, mouths collided, and Styles felt as if he was losing his
damn mind, the need in him so strong.

Robby pulled his lips free and began to kiss Styles’s jaw, his neck,

and his collarbone. His lips were scorching hot, leaving a blazing trail

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as he bit down on Styles’s flesh. Robby traveled lower, sucking a
sensitive nipple into his mouth.

Styles’s cock grew harder, pressing into his mate as Robby teased,

nipped, and licked before releasing Styles’s nipple and moving to the
neglected one. He gripped his mate’s hair, gently pushing on Robby’s
head, saying to the man, pleading with his hands for the man to suck
his cock.

Robby gave a light chuckle as he nipped Styles’s nipple. “If you

rush me, I’m only going to torture you longer.”

Styles eased his hands back, knowing full well that Robby would

go through with his threat. Although he loved this kind of torture, he
wasn’t willing to prolong it any longer than it should be. He wanted to
feel those kiss-swollen lips wrapped around his cock.

Robby’s hands explored Styles as his lips, tongue, and teeth

teased, tortured, and pleasured him to the brink of madness. He was
losing all train of thought, all coherency as Robby moved lower, the
tip of Styles’s cock touching under the man’s chin.

“Please.” The one word was gritted out as Styles stood there

trembling, praying Robby didn’t prolong the torture.

His mate glanced up at him from under his thick blondish-brown

lashes, his hazel eyes telling Styles that there was no need to beg.
Robby dropped to his knees, circling his fingers around Styles’s
heated flesh.

“God, I love your body,” Robby said right before he sucked

Styles’s cock into his mouth. Styles gritted his teeth as Robby’s lips
played over the oversensitized skin, his tongue teasing. He feared his
legs wouldn’t hold out, that he would collapse with the raw pleasure
that Robby was giving him.

His mate’s hands cupped Styles’s ass. Styles reached behind him

as he placed his hands over Robby’s, wanting to feel a deeper
connection. How could anyone endure this much pleasure and not die
from it? His cock was impossibly hard now, a ferocious need building
inside of him.

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111

Robby sucked his cock down his throat. His mate groaned and the

vibrations were an added pleasure that had Styles hissing in approval.
With short and even bursts, Styles began to fuck his mouth. His mate
slid his hands between Styles’s legs and began to massage the tight
skin of his sac.

The feel of Robby’s lips on the sensitive skin of Styles’s cock had

Styles clutching his hands in an effort to find control where there
seemed to be none. He didn’t want to come like this. He wanted to be
buried deep inside his mate when that explosion happened.

He pulled back, his cock popping free and Styles was half-

tempted to shove his erection back into Robby’s mouth. The man
looked like a fallen angel on his knees as he stared up at him.

“Bed,” Styles managed to say past his raging heart, his ragged

breaths, and knew he needed to gain some sort of control. He crawled
in next to Robby and took his time, his hands and mouth mapping his
mate’s body leisurely, and imprinting it in his mind.

“Now I feel like the one who should be begging.” Robby was

breathing in small pants, gazing at Styles before slowly letting his
eyes flutter closed.

Styles swirled his tongue, drawing patterns along Robby’s

sensitive skin, watching how his mate reacted, and loving every single
damn noise the man made. He inhaled the exotic scent of Robby—
thick honey and wildfire, seeping into Styles’s skin, curling around
his senses.

He rubbed his scent all over Robby, wanting, needing for the

world to know that Robby was his.

“God, Styles,” Robby groaned. “I love how you are rubbing all

over me, but please, fuck me.”

Styles watched Robby with barely hidden fascination at the way

his mate’s skin broke out in goose flesh, his body moving seductively
in a serpentine fashion. He was so sensual, so sexy and erotic. What
else could he do but give his mate what he was begging for?

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He grabbed the lube and stretched Robby while kissing and

licking his skin, lapping his tongue over damn near every inch of the
man’s lower body. Robby was trembling by the time Styles
encouraged his mate to get on all fours.

Styles lined his aching shaft up with the pulsating and glistening

entrance and pushed inside, both gently and insistently. He felt his
cock surrounded by soft, smooth wetness, and all he could think of
was to give Robby the fuck of his life.

Robby was tossing beneath him, his hips bucking, driving Styles

harder into the soft flesh of his mate’s ass, grinding against him.
Gritting his teeth, Styles eased back, wanting to scream about the
incredible pleasure from the friction of Robby’s flesh against his.

Spreading Robby’s thighs wide, Styles slammed his hips into

Robby’s ass, feeling his scrotum tighten against the base of his cock
as he drove deep and hard inside his mate.

The words were there, on the tip of his tongue, ready to spill but

refusing to leave his lips. Styles growled in frustration, wanting his
mate to know that he did love him. He loved Robby so much that it
bordered on insanity.

But he couldn’t say the words. His bravery left him as Styles

pushed harder into the tight sheath, gritting his teeth now at the
pleasure.

He leaned over Robby, blanketing him from thigh to nape, and

then settled his mouth on the man’s shoulder, licking him, his canines
aching to bite into the man’s flesh. Styles’s head lowered, his teeth
gripping the sensitive area between shoulder and neck as Robby
screamed out in pleasure, his ass pulsing around Styles’s cock to the
point he could barely move.

His mate’s release filled the room, invading Styles’s lungs. The

scent was making him crazy. He scraped his canines along Robby’s
shoulder before finally biting him, claiming his mate once more.

Robby cried out again as Styles pistoned into the man, his cock

encased in his mate’s tight ass and then he was frozen in time and

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113

space as he found his pleasure, and felt his body emptying as endless
streams of cum filled Robby’s ass.

Styles released Robby’s shoulder, kissing and licking his wound,

inhaling the unique scent that belonged solely to his mate. He
watched Robby for several moments, devouring his mate with his
eyes before hanging his head trying to rein in his emotions.

Somehow, someway, Styles was going to tell the man he loved

him. Robby deserved nothing less.

* * * *

Robby was finally back at work, laughing with Baker as he made

the cinnamon buns Kenway had asked for.

“You really sent him a ransom note to get the rest of his chicken?”

Baker seemed thoroughly amused. “Genius.”

Robby thought so. He liked doing little things like that for Styles.

It helped their relationship stay spicy. He never wanted his mate to
grow bored with him. But Robby knew that he had also helped break
down some of those walls that Styles had erected around him.

Just as he put the cinnamon buns in the oven, Kenway stuck his

head into the kitchen. “Are you done with the orders for the day?” he
asked.

Robby nodded. It was late afternoon and the only thing that

needed to be done was complete. Someone had ordered an entire
dozen of cinnamon buns in a rush order. “I just put them in the oven,
why?”

Kenway rolled his eyes. “Why else? Styles is here for you.”
Baker snickered as Robby pulled the apron over his head and

hung it on the hook. “Tell him I’m going to wash up and then I’ll be
right out.”

“Yeah, because I live to pass messages between the two of you,”

Kenway said before he disappeared. Robby chuckled. He knew that

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Kenway honestly didn’t mind. Walking over the sink, Robby washed
up before waving good-bye to Baker and heading outside.

Styles was sitting on his bike, looking devilishly handsome as

always. But today the man had a sparkle in his pretty brown eyes that
had Robby’s heart skipping a beat. “What are you up to?”

Styles handed Robby a helmet. “Just get on and I’ll show you.”
Unable to resist and curious as hell, Robby quickly strapped the

helmet into place before climbing behind Styles and wrapping his
arms around his mate’s waist. Styles took off, not saying another
word as they cleared Brac Village and headed down the country road.

The suspense was killing Robby. He wasn’t sure why Styles was

being so cryptic and couldn’t wait to find out. His brows furrowed as
Styles turned on the access road, heading toward the small shack that
they had visited once before. He knew that this was a place that his
mate went to think, to get away from it all at times. He just wasn’t
sure why they were here right now.

Styles pulled his bike next to the shack and cut the motor. Robby

climbed off, removing his helmet as he glanced around. Everything
looked the same. What was Styles up to?

Without a word, Styles dismounted and then led Robby inside the

shack.

“Okay, I’m dying of curiosity.” Robby turned toward his mate.

“Spill it.”

Instead of answering him, Styles gently placed his hands over

Robby’s eyes and then they took a few steps forward, going deeper
into the shack. It wasn’t that big to begin with. Where the hell was
Styles taking him?

They came to a stop and then Styles placed a kiss on Robby’s

neck before removing his hands. He still didn’t understand what was
going on until Styles pointed down to the table.

Robby felt his heart beating faster when he saw blueprints laying

there. He studied them, his eyes sweeping over the layout. The longer
he looked at the blueprints, the wider his smile became. It seemed

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115

Styles had these plans drawn up, showing Robby the cottage that he
had talked about building. “You’re really going to do it?” Robby
turned and stared up at Styles.

“We,” Styles corrected him. “I want us to have a place of our own.

I want us to have privacy, and be able to run in the woods on this
land. I want us to grow old here, sitting on the front porch as we
watch the sunset.”

Robby knew that Styles was having a difficult time saying he

loved him. But he could see that the man was trying to say that in so
many other ways. Did he really need to hear the words? It would be
nice. He wasn’t going to push the man to say them, just enjoy how far
he and his mate had come.

“How long before it’s complete?”
Styles hugged Robby from behind, resting his chin on Robby’s

shoulder. The man seemed so damn content, so at ease here. He rested
his hands over Styles’s arms, soaking in his mate’s melancholy mood.

“Since Roman is so busy, I couldn’t get him to build it. But he

recommended some people and assured me that they could get it done
in two months’ time.” Styles dropped another kiss on his shoulder
before he released Robby.

There was something else. Robby could feel it. Styles stood there

with an uncertain expression on his face. He was almost afraid to ask,
but he hated to see his mate that way. “Tell me.”

Styles shook his head. “It’s not a matter of telling you. It’s a

matter of asking you.”

Robby took a step back, his defenses going up. “Then ask me.”
Styles ran a hand over his short cropped hair, his eyes darting

around the shack before landing on Robby. “Do you want to go for a
run with me so you can see the land that we own?”

Styles was full of all kinds of surprises today. It was the last thing

Robby had expected the man to ask. He became uncertain. Even
though the two were mated and were getting along better than ever,

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Robby knew that Styles hadn't fully let go of his hatred for wolves.
“Maybe some other time.”

It killed a part of him to say that. Robby knew he was denying

who he was in order to keep the peace. He never wanted to see Styles
go crazy again. Even though the man had remained calm when Robby
had to shift and heal, he didn’t want to push his luck.

Styles shook his head, looking more determined than ever. “We’re

going to be together for a very long time. Your wolf is a part of who
you are and I accept that. I accept you. You’re my mate, Robby. I
accept every part of you.”

Robby wanted to cry. Styles was trying. He really was. With a

shaky breath, Robby nodded. “Okay.”

They walked outside. Styles undressed, setting his clothes by his

bike. He stood there gloriously naked, watching Robby, waiting. With
a shaky hand, Robby undressed. He took in a deep breath and then
shifted.

Styles stood there for a moment, his eyes skimming over Robby’s

wolf form. Robby couldn’t read the man, and was wondering what
Styles was thinking. He was beginning to worry until Styles spoke.

“You really are beautiful.”
Robby trotted over to Styles, pushing his nose into the man’s

hand. He wanted to feel his mate’s hand caressing his fur, accepting
who he was. Styles let his hand brush over Robby’s head, a small
smile on his lips. “Let’s go for a run.”

His mate shifted into his coyote form and the two took off, Robby

bursting with joy and happiness as they explored their new home.

* * * *

Styles just got off the phone with Maverick, and to his dismay,

had found out that the list still had not been recovered. Maverick
confessed that the list may never be recovered. Someone out there had
all the information they needed to destroy the paranormal world.

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117

Styles just hoped like hell that it never came to that.
“I’m so excited,” Robby said next to him as both of them stood by

Styles’s bike and watched the construction crew work at building
their new home. It was almost complete. The foreman had told Styles
that they were in something called the last phase.

Styles turned when he heard the roar of many motorcycles. He

hadn’t been expecting anyone in the construction crew was already
here. Who the hell could he be?

His eyes widened when he saw over a dozen motorcycles, trucks,

and some cars pulling in. What in the hell was going on? He was even
more shocked when he saw the Santiago brothers were among the
bikers.

“Why are they here?” Robby asked.
Styles shook his head. “I have no clue.” He would’ve been

worried, but Paine was standing in the back of Kenway’s truck, his
arms stretched wide as he was shouting, “Woo-hoo!”

He walked over to Kenway’s truck when the man parked, going

right for the driver’s door. “What is all this, Kenway?”

“A bonfire!” Paine shouted. “We’re here to celebrate your new

home.”

Styles was truly baffled. “Why?”
Maverick strolled over to him, a smirk on his face. “It’s called

having friends, coyote. Get used to it. This is what we do in Brac
Village. Friends get together, celebrate, and have a good time.”

Friends? What the hell was the alpha talking about?
Law Santiago walked over to Styles, throwing his arm over

Styles’s shoulder. “I brought the weenies.” He nodded toward his
brothers. “I brought the food as well.”

Tryck flipped Law off. “Wienie this.”
“It looks great!” Spencer shouted as he climbed out of Bear’s

truck. “Please tell me you have a sunroom where Robby and I can sit
and gossip our asses off.”

“Spencer,” Bear said in a warning tone.

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Spencer rolled his eyes. “I meant, sit and chitchat.”
Bear chuckled as he shook his head. “You’re hopeless.”
Styles watched as Ruttford set Xavier down on his feet, the

toddler waddling toward him, screaming, “Uncle Size!”

He chuckled as he swooped the little guy up into his arms. “I’m

having a swing set built out back just for you,” he whispered to
Xavier before setting the little guy back on his feet. Xavier took off,
running in circles and laughing as Styles turned back toward the large
mob that had shown up.

He wasn’t sure what to make of all this. A large part of him

smiled on the inside. He had no idea these men had considered him
friend. He had been the meanest, surliest man around. It wasn’t like
Styles had extended his hand of friendship to anyone.

But it seemed they had extended their hand to him.
“Let’s get this party started,” Frisco shouted. “Bonfire!”
Styles shook his head. That human was a nut job.
To Styles’s surprise, more people were showing up. The

Lakelands pulled in, Chauncey on his motorcycle, Curtis behind him,
holding his mate tight. His property was beginning to look smaller
and smaller as more people gathered.

The sun had already set, and the crew had been cleaning up.

Styles walked over and placed his hand on the foreman’s shoulder.
“You guys are more than welcome to stay.”

The man chuckled and nodded. “Nothing wrong with having a

good time after a hard day’s work.”

The bonfire was lit, the flames looking toward the sky as everyone

laughed, and had a good time. He watched the children run around,
chasing fireflies, and squealing in delight. Steele had his son cradled
in his arm, as Diablo stood behind his mate and talked with Malcolm
Lakeland.

The scene was so surreal. Styles wasn’t sure what to say or what

to do. A large part of his hatred chipped away and fell at his feet as he

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119

stared at the men around him, men who lived and worked in Brac
Village and called this place home.

Robby walked up to him, sliding his arms around Styles’s waist.

“It seems like I’m not the only one who refused to give up on you.”

Standing there, the flames of the bonfire reflecting off of Robby’s

eyes, Styles felt his heart fill with joy, happiness, and all the love he
felt toward his mate. He swallowed around the lump in his throat as
he ran his hand over Robby’s head. “I–I love you.”

Robby winked up at him. “I know. I’ve known all along.”
Styles threw his head back and laughed as he wrapped his arms

tightly around his mate. He spotted Tryck heading toward him and
mockingly snarled at the man.

Tryck stopped at his side, a wicked smile on his face. “This still

doesn’t make us friends.”

No, but this went a long way in healing Styles. He knew that

loving him hadn’t been easy, but Robby had stuck by his side, never
giving up, and making Styles see that loving a wolf wasn’t an
impossible feat, that he could be happy and content with Robby for
the rest of his life.

“Nope,” Robby answered Tryck for him. “It makes us family.”
“Hell no,” Styles and Tryck shouted at the same time, but in

Styles’s mind, he knew he had found the perfect place to live and the
perfect place to heal.

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but

lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to
find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.

You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a

cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.

For all titles by Lynn Hagen, please visit