Admittedly, Ryland already knew a lot about shifters, even their matings.  He and his sister had grown up next to a town of shifters.  Ryland had always been a kid who loved the outdoors and spent most of his time exploring the woods.

He was ten when he ran across a shifter changing into a wolf.  It had scared the crap out of him.  Thankfully, it was another kid close to Ryland’s age, or he most likely would have died. Shifters were notorious for trying to keep their race a secret from the humans, even if it meant killing to do so.

He smiled at the memory of meeting Danny for the first time.  They had become fast friends, keeping that friendship a secret from both of their families.

When his sister had announced Refugio and she were mates, Ryland had gone to Danny, who told him all about what it meant to be a mate.  So, when his sister had cried about all the other women Refugio fucked, Ryland knew the man had lied to Keira.  He encouraged her to leave, but at first she’d been reluctant to do so.

It had taken three years before she’d finally had enough, but by then Refugio had imprisoned Ryland in the manor by chaining him up.  Ryland had begged Keira to run anyway, but Refugio told her if she did that, he would kill Ryland.

Trapped, they had thought they would end up dying in that manor.  Then a miracle had happened.  Saber Thorsen challenged Refugio for his position on the Council.  Miraculously, Saber not only won, but killed Refugio. 

Ryland and his sister still weren’t free, but they had a chance, which had been more than they’d had before.  After all they had endured, never once had Ryland thought he’d meet Draco, or the shifter would claim they were mates.  Maybe, if that had been all, Ryland wouldn’t feel as if his head were spinning.  But what Draco had told him made everything Ryland had already known seem like child’s play.

“Are you going to say something?” Draco asked after several minutes of Ryland staring at him with his mouth wide open as if he were some sort of alien, which wasn’t far off in Ryland’s mind.

He shook his head, doing his best to clear it, but it just wasn’t working.  If anything the motion caused his head to spin even more.  “I…” but nothing more would come out.

Ryland needed air.  He looked around, realizing he was already outside.  So he took several steps back from Draco, only to realize the man had been right.  Moving away from Draco, so they were no longer touching, felt as if a part of his body had been ripped off.  He ached to be back in Draco’s arms.

If it were only that, Ryland would have stepped back into his arms, but this was all too much.  Or was it?  Really, nothing he’d found out was any more shocking than when he’d first learned about shifters and he’d gotten used to that.  Right?

Ryland didn’t know anymore.  Hell, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to think when Draco admitted he was a…a…Shaking his head, he took another step back but cried out at the distance he was putting between then and quickly moved toward Draco once more.

He didn’t stop until he was back in the man’s strong arms right where he belonged.  Why did he think that?  That wasn’t who Ryland was.  He’d never before needed anyone.  He wasn’t even sure any of this was real.  Maybe it was that Draco had convinced him they were mates and he knew mates felt physical pain if one of them left. Which meant Ryland actually believed they were mates to the point of actually feeling it.

NO!

He knew instantly that wasn’t right and his brain refused to let him delude himself into thinking that.  “What is happening to me?” he whispered.

Draco held him tighter as if he needed to hold Ryland as much as Ryland needed to be held.  “It’s okay, gràdh.  It’s just the mating pull.  Things will calm down somewhat after we mate, although it will still be uncomfortable to be away from each other, but we’ll be able to tolerate it better.”

Ryland rested his head against Draco’s broad shoulder.  “But matings are forever and I don’t know you well enough to do that.  What if we aren’t right for each other?  What if we end up not liking each other?  What if my snoring drives you crazy?  Or if I can’t stand the way you chew?”

Draco chuckled.  “You snore?” he asked.

He hadn’t meant to admit that, but sometimes Ryland tended to say things when he was ranting and being faced with having a shifter mate, he was in full rant mode.  “Yes, but that isn’t the point.  How am I supposed to be comfortable agreeing to be your mate when I don’t even know you?”

It was odd, but even as he said the words, Ryland knew it was what he was meant to be.  He may not know Draco, but there was still something within him that wanted nothing more than to be with this man forever.

“I can’t answer that for you, gràdh.  For a shifter it is instinctual.  We know, without any doubts, who our mate is and that we were made for each other.”  Then Draco gave a small sigh and forced himself to take a step back once more.  “But, if it will make you feel better, we can take some time and learn more about each other.”

Ryland nodded, already feeling better about mating with Draco.  He just wished the need to continue touching him would stop, at least long enough for him to be able to think.  “Maybe we should go back to the manor.  I should get started on dinner.”

Draco held out his hand and gratefully Ryland held it as they walked back down the hill.  “You know you don’t have to keep cooking.  Saber would never force you do anything you don’t want to do.”

Suddenly things started to look up.  “Really?” he asked hopefully.  “Because I absolutely hate to cook.”  Actually, he despised cooking.  How he’d gotten stuck in the kitchens in the first place was still something he hadn’t quite understood.  No one had explained it to him when they’d first thrown him in there but Ryland suspected it was the only place they could figure out a way to make him work while being chained up.

Draco nodded and smiled back at him.  “I will let Saber know.  We’re planning on moving the Council to Oregon anyway, and knowing Saber, there won’t be this large mansion.”  A chuckle burst from Draco.  “It will probably be more like a fire pit everyone sits around.”

“For the Council?” Ryland blurted out.  That didn’t seem possible.  Refugio had always demanded the absolute best of everything.  Finest china, most expensive wine, and if the food wasn’t up to par, Ryland got beaten for his troubles.  He learned to cook real fast that first month he was there.

Draco’s grin increased, his emerald eyes dancing with humor.  “Saber is a bit…well, unconventional is probably the nicest way to put it,” he said as led them back into the manor by way of the front door, a place Ryland had never been allowed through.

A snort greeted them.  “Please,” Chadwick deadpanned.  “He’d be happier sleeping outside in the dirt with nothing more than the stars to keep him company.”

Chadwick was hauled into Saber’s arms, a hand swatting his ass.  “Watch it, brat,” Saber warned with a mock growl.  “Or I’ll make you join me and we all know how much you would hate that.”

Chadwick visibly shuddered at the threat.  “Not happening.  My idea of roughing it is a hotel with no cable.”

That didn’t make any sense to Ryland.  “But you’re a shifter.  Shouldn’t you love the outdoors?”

Chadwick glared at him and flipped him off.  “There is a lot you need to learn about shifters, human.”  Chadwick emphasized the last word derisively, eliciting a warning rumble from Draco, who tugged Ryland into his arms protectively.

But Chadwick didn’t seem the least bit worried as he rolled his eyes at Draco.  “God save me from alpha-types.”  That earned him another swat from Saber, but Chadwick didn’t seem the least bit fazed.  If anything, he pushed into Saber’s hand as if he’d known it was coming.  “Just as you don’t like being told you’re inferior to shifters, we don’t appreciate the stereotypes about our kind.”

That made sense.  “You’re right.  I’m sorry.”  Even prior to his captivity, Ryland had assumed a lot about shifters based only on what he knew of his friend.  Danny had loved the outdoors.  There were times he hadn’t wanted to shift back into his human form and return home because his wolf was so happy to be outside.

He received a nod from Chadwick.  “And you are partially right.  My mountain lion loves being outside, running, chasing prey, but when I sleep, give me a pillow top mattress and eight hundred thread count sheets and I’m a happy man.”

“I’m just the opposite,” Ryland admitted, although he wasn’t quite sure why he was volunteering the information to people he really didn’t know.  “I would rather sleep under the stars with the crickets lulling me to sleep.”

“Sir,” Gerald came into the foyer, his gaze scanning every corner as if looking for someone.  If Chadwick had to guess, it was Keira.  The jerk.  “Dinner is ready.”

Huh?

Saber gave Gerald a nod that he’d heard and Gerald hurried away, most likely to go in search of Keira.  Ryland needed to get back to his room and make sure she remained hidden.  “I should go,” he said without explaining why.

But before he could even disengage from Draco’s arms, Saber asked, “Despite what Refugio did to you, you are not our slave.  Please, we’d like for you to join us for dinner.”

Touched, he wanted to say yes, but Ryland needed to check on his sister first.  Thinking fast he glanced down at his still bare chest.  “I need to put on a shirt.”  Then he raced from them, not giving anyone a chance to stall him any longer.

But before he’d completely disappeared, Draco called after him.  “Make sure to invite your sister.  I would like to apologize for scaring her earlier.”

The knot that had been forming in his stomach moments before about how to keep his sister safe started to ease at the realization that he might not have to do it all by himself.  He had Draco, and even though he wasn’t quite sure about mating him, he did believe that Draco wouldn’t allow anything to happen to him or Keira.  He was actually pretty certain none of the men he’d just left would let someone as innocent as Keira be harmed under their watch.

Just as he turned down the hall where his bedroom was, he saw Gerald approach his door, sniffing at it as if checking to see if Keira might be inside.  He must have scented her for he put his hand on the doorknob.

“Gerald,” he called out.  “Is there something I can help you with?”

The guard didn’t even seem to care that he’d been caught.  When the man tried the knob and found it locked, he threw his shoulder against the door, forcing it open.  His only acknowledgement that Ryland was there was to sneer at him and say, “If you know what’s good for you, you will turn around and forget I was ever here.”

There was no way Ryland was going to do that.  “That might be difficult to do since the Chief Council requested that Keira and I join them for dinner.”

He really should have thought to bring Draco with him, for it only took one punch from Gerald for a roar to ring in his ears that he could have sworn would bring down the entire castle and then his world went completely black.