Throwback Thursday!

Amber Kell Books | Amazon | ARe | B&N

 

When his sister’s mate, Cyrus, asks Peter to harbor his brother, Peter isn’t expecting a bad boy wizard to show up at his door. He’s also unprepared for Justin to be the mate Peter has searched for his entire life.

Wizards and werewolves don’t get along. Justin needs a place to crash where no one will look. With a psychotic wizard on his trail and a powerful artifact in his possession, the best hiding spot is the least likely. Who’ll come searching in the middle of a wolf pack? Now all Justin has to do is resist a sexy wolf and he may escape with his heart intact.

 

Read an Excerpt!

 

Cyrus twisted his fingers together, unable to meet his alpha’s gaze. He audibly swallowed before he spoke. “M-my brother is going to be in town, and I was hoping you would grant him amnesty and allow him to stay here.” Amnesty could only be requested for non-wolves to allow them onto pack grounds.

“What is he?” Douglas asked, breaking into the silence.

Cyrus paused for so long Peter wondered if he would answer. “Justin is my halfbrother.”

Peter sat up straighter. He knew for a fact there were more than wolves in Cyrus’ family tree.

“Once again. What is he?”

Cyrus found his hands extremely interesting as he avoided Peter’s gaze. “Justin’s a wizard. But he recently broke up with his lover, and I don’t think he should be alone,”Cyrus confessed.

“Do you think he’s suicidal?” Peter could feel the bars closing around him. He didn’t especially want to throw a wizard into the pack mix, but he couldn’t, in good conscience, let the brother of his sister’s mate fend for himself. Pack took family seriously, even adopted family.

Cyrus laughed. “No. He’s just self-destructive. This is also the anniversary of our father’s death, and Justin always acts out this time of year. I worry what he’ll do if he’s left by himself. I don’t want him out on the town picking up men without regard to his safety because he’s depressed.”

“Men?” Peter’s heart slammed against his chest. The image of another man walking around looking like his brother-in-law and hunting other men made Peter’s hunger rise. His inner wolf tilted its head in puzzlement. They’d never been overly attracted to men before. And while Peter had always found Cyrus attractive, it stemmed from a what-pretty-children-he’d-have-with-Anna kind of way.

“Yeah. He’s gay. Is that a problem?”

For the first time, Peter saw the fire Anna always rhapsodized about, flashing in Cyrus’ eyes.

“No. No problem. I stand by my belief that a mate is the one who bonds with our soul and is not determined by sex or species. I know not all weres subscribe to that theory, but as long as I’m king, my people will be able to mate where they will.” Peter remained adamant that weres should be able to match with their soul mate, end of story. Sex or species had no bearing on the true love of a werewolf, despite what some of the older members proclaimed. Peter cleared his throat. “Does he look like you?”

“Peter!” Douglas exclaimed.

“What?” He’d asked a perfectly innocent question— okay, maybe not innocent, but a question.

Cyrus frowned. “No. Justin doesn’t look like me. Well, except the eyes. We both have father’s eyes.”

Beautiful eyes.

“A wizard could cause a lot of problems,” Douglas cautioned, frowning his disapproval of the idea. “Some weres can’t resist the smell of magic. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for an accidental mauling.”

Peter shrugged. “The pack can fend for themselves. After all, one wizard can’t cause too much trouble.” A single wizard shouldn’t be a problem among a large pack of werewolves. If Justin and his brother were anything alike, Peter probably wouldn’t even know he was there.

“Cyrus, go ahead and tell your brother he can stay with us. I’m sure the pack can cope for a few days.”

“Thank you!” Cyrus’ grateful expression reinforced Peter’s belief he’d done the right thing.

“You’re welcome.” Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to make Cyrus feel more a part of the pack, even if Peter had to have a wizard on his land for a few days.

The sound of a motorcycle engine was Peter’s first indication he’d completely misjudged the wizard situation. Drawn from his study by the loud noise, he walked out to the front porch and watched a Harley pull through the iron gates with a long-legged bad boy straddling the purring beast.

The motorcycle rolled to a halt, and the driver cut the motor, bringing a welcome silence and the happy event of the rider sliding off the machine. The man swung his leg over the beast with a slinky grace strippers could take notes on.

Cyrus darted out of the house to greet the newcomer. Peter had to restrain himself from grabbing his brother-in-law and pulling him out of danger. Who knew what this newcomer would do to the shy, almost delicate, wolf?

A whiff of breeze brought the scent of the hot man to Peter’s nose. The overpowering smell of magic meant the visitor could only be the troubled brother at his door. Damn, Justin might prove to be the type of trouble Peter could get behind, or inside, or anything involving the two of them naked with a horizontal surface or a vertically flat one.

Peter’s body grew taut with need when he took in how well the blue jeans fit the tall, muscular form standing on his drive. For the first time in his life, Peter’s body awakened for a man. He licked his lips when Cyrus’ brother removed his helmet.

Damn.

Bright blond hair slid from the helmet like liquid sunshine. He must have made a sound because the brothers turned toward him, and Peter found himself the focus of matching violet eyes. However, where Cyrus’ eyes were soft and gentle and reminded

Peter of a beautiful flower, Justin’s were bright and passionate and said he wanted to devour Peter in big, greedy bites.

The wizard gave him a wicked smile before leaning over the bike to pull a backpack from one of the saddlebags. Douglas grabbed Peter’s arm just as he was about to head down the steps.

“What?” he snarled.

“What are you doing?” Douglas asked.

Peter turned to find his best friend staring at him like he was a stranger.

He tried for innocent. “I’m going to greet Cyrus’ brother. After all, he is a member of the family.”

Or would be, once Peter hunted him down, pinned him beneath his mating fangs, and fucked him senseless.

“A brother of a brother doesn’t make him family. It makes him an acquaintance.”

Douglas’ hold on Peter tightened.

Peter shook him off. “It’s my duty to greet any newcomer.”

“That’s not what you said last week when Maria’s cousin visited.”

“Maria’s cousin didn’t smell this good. What’s your problem?” He was completely baffled as to why his friend cared if he greeted Justin or not. Besides, Maria’s cousin, a timid mousy female, never appealed to Peter on any level. Not like the wizard on his doorstep.

“You’re looking at him like he’s the last steak at a full moon buffet,” Douglas snapped.

“Is there a problem?” a voice spoke behind Peter like dark, rich coffee. It wrapped around him like a soothing embrace and made him want to show his belly to the other man just for the chance to bask in his presence.

Peter turned and found Justin close, so very close. Unable to stop his wolf instinct, he stepped forward and slid his arms around the other man. “I’m Peter. Kiss me.”

Before Justin could speak, Peter yanked the wizard toward him and kissed him on the lips. Lightning sizzled through his senses. Peter moaned over the contrast between soft lips and rough whiskers.

So not like kissing a woman.

Nothing soft existed between them, just heat and muscle. Justin’s erection rubbed against Peter as the blond battled to take control of the lip-lock.

A low growl filled the air, and to Peter’s surprise, it didn’t come from him.

Justin’s large hands cupped his head, and the wizard snatched control from him. For the first time in his life, Peter didn’t mind.