Grayson opened the door to his parents’ house and was greeted with the scent of gingerbread pancakes.

His mom was already in the holiday spirit which meant they might put up decorations much earlier. Grayson made a mental note to get Christmas decorations for Chance’s apartment along with a tree.

Grayson was getting excited with the prospect of him and Chance starting their own holiday traditions. His body shivered thinking of the slow torturous pleasure he received the night before. He was surprised and appreciative that Chance hadn’t kicked him out of bed when he’d revealed that they were mates.

He hadn’t been sure after their first time together but feeling Chance’s knot the night before solidified it for him. He’d broken one of Chance’s rules to be open and honest with him, and then he’d turned around and claimed the man without his given permission.

Grayson was forever connected to Chance forever body and soul no matter what happened in the future. He could only hope that the older man would one day claim him fully as his mate. He’d waited years for the man to see him, and had no problem waiting a bit more.

Once his knot had receded, Chance had been very attentive with his aftercare, by putting his needs first. They had taken a bath together with Chance washing him down. Afterward, they got out of the tub where his lover toweled him down while showering him with sweet kisses.

They both fell back into bed where he fell asleep feeling secure in his Daddy’s arms. He’d woken up that morning alone in bed, but the smell of freshly brewed coffee called to him. He had gotten out of bed naked and padded into the other room not surprised to see a shirtless Chance standing by the large window looking out of it.

Grayson didn’t say anything he simply walked over and joined him and was happy when the older man pulled him close and kissed him on the crown of his head. They’d stayed like that sharing one cup of coffee until it was time for Chance to head down to the garage.

They made plans to meet up for lunch and Grayson couldn’t wait to see his lover again. He’d also promised his mom that he would pay a visit to her classroom to teach her first graders how to make bath bombs. Grayson only hoped that nothing embarrassing happened while he wore the penis plug throughout the day.

It’s going to be challenging trying not to think about Chance or the way he fucked last night.

“So, the prodigal son has returned home from his night of fun.”

He looked up watching his dad come down the stairs. “Hey, dad.”

“Had a good night, son?” his father asked and sniffed the air when he walked by him. LaMarkus grunted. “Bring Chance by when he’s ready to mingle with the family.”

“You know this is why I never brought guys home, right?” he mumbled after as his father walked down the hallway to the kitchen.

Living with shifters was murder on his libido when he was growing up, his parents could always smell when he and his sister were lying or when they had sex. The sex talk when he and Monique were teenagers was embarrassing, to say the least. His mother and grandmother were detailed while his father growled and scowled the entire time.

“Now remember, you two, not everyone is the same size,” Katarina started.

“So always have two different size condoms with you just in case,” his grandmother added.

“Also, when you find out what you like, stick to it,” his mother said with a smile that made his stomach want to revolt.

“I agree, there’s nothing worse than meeting a sexy beast of a man,” his grandmother said a bit too ecstatic for his taste. “Only to find out he isn’t a beast at all. Shameful, just shameful.”

Grayson remembered he and Monique had sat still unable to run and hide and wash the conversation from their minds. Pulling his thoughts away from the past, he concentrated on what he had to do that day. He had gotten a table at the annual Christmas market because he wanted to start selling some of the natural soap products he liked to make. Instead of going up to his bedroom, he followed his dad to the kitchen.

“Good morning, son,” his mother said meeting him halfway and kissing him on his cheeks. “Did you have a good night?”

LaMarkus snorted before taking a sip of his coffee. “Can’t you smell it on him?’

“I can, I was trying to be polite,” Katarina responded.

“This is why I need my own place,” Grayson mumbled.

“Oh hush, it’s not time yet,” his mother chastised. “Now sit and have some pancakes.”

Dutifully he took the plate his mother handed to him that was stacked with gingerbread pancakes and sautéed apples and sat beside his dad at the kitchen table. Katarina set a fresh cup of coffee beside his plate. He moaned the second he had his first bite. His mom made the best pancakes, and he could never get enough of them. When he was away at college, he used to beg her to make some, and send them frozen just so he could have a small bit of home.

“Did you know Nana was planning on retiring?” He looked at his dad and saw the answer on his face. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“It wasn’t supposed to be a secret,” LaMarkus answered. “Well among the family anyway. Until a new Mayor is chosen then everyone else will know.”

“I knew she was up to something since she sort of mentioned it at the party. But I had no idea she was going to ask Chance to be the next mayor. Did you know she was going to ask Chance?”

“Yes,” Katarina answered that time. “And I think he would make a wonderful Mayor. He’s handsome and seems very protective. No offense, dear.”

“None taken. I agree with you even on the handsome part,” LaMarkus said with a smile.

“I’m not sure he’s going to say yes.”

“I think you’re wrong,” Katarina told him. “He might think it’s crazy that Rosemary asked him, after all, he’s kept to himself and thinks he doesn’t have any attachment to the people in town. But he’s become much more than that. The question is how do you feel about it?”

“I’m not sure,” Grayson answered. “We kind of just started seeing each other, and I claimed him last night.”

Katarina shrieked with excitement and hugged. “Congratulations, finally you’re mated. When can I expect grandkids?”

“Calm down, mom, we’re still working through some things.”

“When you say working through some things what the hell do you mean by that?” LaMarkus asked.

“I claimed him without his permission.”

“Okay, that’s happened before,” Katarina said.

“But he didn’t claim me.”

“Fuck, Grayson,” his father cursed, and his mother gasped. “What the hell possessed you to do something so stupid?”

“Look, it just happened, all right? I was in the heat of the moment, and it felt right,” he explained.

“You know what the hell will happen if he doesn’t claim you,” LaMarkus shouted.

“Of course, I do,” Grayson yelled shouting to his feet.

“And yet you did it,” his father growled.

“All right, you two, that is enough,” Katarina said getting both of their attention. “Grayson, sit down and eat.” She then turned to his dad, pointing a finger at him “LaMarkus Trenton Vale, you growl one more time, and you’ll be sleeping on the couch for a week.”

Grayson did what his mother wanted and sat back down but didn’t stop glaring at his father.

“Now, my love, I get that you are scared of what could happen and frankly so am I. But I remember being a similar situation when we mated.”

“You bit dad without his permission?” Grayson asked in surprise.

LaMarkus cleared his throat and looked a bit contrite. “Um…I claimed your mom before she could say yes,” he mumbled.

“And didn’t everything work out fine for us?”

“Yes, but…”

“No buts, my love. The same will be for Grayson, Chance will claim him in time.” She stopped and stared at Grayson then smirked.

“What?” Grayson asked. “What’s with the smirk?”

“Nothing, dear,” Katarina said patting him on his hand. “Eat up before your pancakes get cold.” She got up from the table leaving him and his dad alone.

“I just worry. While you were gone, I worried about you. It’s what fathers do. When you have your own pup, you’ll understand.”

“I’m not a pup anymore, dad?”

LaMarkus stood and kissed him on the crown of his head. “No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my pup.”

He walked away leaving Grayson to his thoughts. Chance will claim me, I can feel it.

“There’s something different about you.”

Chance looked up when he heard Sheri’s voice. “I’m the same person I was yesterday and the day before that.” He scratched his beard wondering if it was getting too long. Maybe I should shave it off.

“True, you might look the same but something about you changed.” She walked into his office and sat down. “So, what’s his name?”

Chance didn’t think about beating around the bush. “Grayson.”

Sheri gasped in surprise. “You mean little Grayson Vale?”

“He’s not so little anymore,” Chance said repeating the same words LaMarkus used with him weeks earlier. But he was smiling for a much different reason.

“Someone looks love-sick.”

“Maybe I am.” Chance tilted his head to the side and winced from the slight pain in his neck. He still didn’t understand the whole mating thing, but he wasn’t going to stop seeing Grayson.

“It’s good to see you smiling and not grumbling for once,” she said.

“What the hell are you talking about, I smile all the time.” He grumbled.

“Yeah, and pigs can fly.”

“In this town, you never know,” Chance said, and they both burst out in laughter.

“Have you told Erica?” Shari said after their laughter died down.

“I wasn’t aware I needed to keep her up to date on my love life. She’s not my mother, you know.”

“I’m going to take that as a no,” Sheri said getting up. “I’ll give it one more week before she sniffs out that something is up with you. If she’s not busy keeping Peter, and her kids in line. Let’s hope Grayson can hold up to her interrogations.”

“For fuck sake, Sheri, I’m older than Erica.”

“When has that ever stopped her from butting into your personal life?” Sheri asked as she walked out of his office not giving him a chance to respond.

Damn, Sheri has a point.

As much as Chance loved and adored Erica, she was known for scaring off the handful of men he’d introduced to her. They were out the door with one straightforward question about marriage. Chance doubted Grayson would run as the others did, but he wasn’t going to risk leaving them alone the first time they’d meet officially.

Chance looked at his watch then got up grabbing his coat and putting it on, realizing that he had a few extra minutes before he had to meet Grayson for lunch. He wanted to stop by Vale Valley Inn and Restaurant to see how Vic, the wolf shifter, was doing since the last time they spoke to each other at Grayson’s party.

Vic was a good guy and a recluse, only keeping close to his Inn and his small pack. Chance figured it was about time he and the man became better friends. After being in the same town for so long, he hadn’t realized how much they had in common until they actually talked.

“Are you ready to come back to the big city?” Anita asked him.

“Hell no, I’ve got all I want here.”

Grayson had just gotten back to his car and noticed he’d missed a call from his best friend while he was working with the kids. He smiled thinking how excited they got mixing the colors and coming up with their own scents. He couldn’t wait for him and Chance to have a kid of their own.

“The question is when are you coming to see me?” He asked before he got too far in his fantasy of him and Chance having children. Anita grew quiet on the other end of the phone and Grayson thought she’d hung up. Something was wrong, he could feel it.

“Hey, listen, I need to go, my boss is giving me the evil eye. Happy holidays if I don’t talk to you before the New Year.”

She hung up before he could say anything else. Grayson wished he could figure out what was going on with his friend and hated that she was keeping something from him, when all he wanted to do was help her.

Sighing in exhaustion, he pulled out of the school parking lot and headed straight for his health center. There were a few things he needed to take care of before meeting Chance. There was only a couple of weeks before the grand opening which would be after Thanksgiving. He was going to be working late for the next couple of weeks adding his own finishing touches to the center and training the guys he hired.

He smiled as he drove past the town square loving the Christmas decorations already on display around town, the market stalls were all ready to go, just waiting to be filled with things to sell. Not far from the stalls was a Christmas tree that was almost done being decorated for the small concert that happened every year.

Behind the tree was the skating rink that he and his sister had bust their asses on every year trying to mimic the routine of all the skaters that came to their mind. Grayson’s gaze drifted to the gazebo where the string quartet was practicing, getting ready for their weekly show while shoppers walked around the market.

At night there might be lovers huddled up in the gazebo holding each other kissing under the mistletoe cementing or starting a new love. He also didn’t want to forget about the month-long contests, and he was happy to know that the fireworks festival was back after five years. Some might find it all silly or corny, but while he was away, he missed it all. His town and Chance were worth the many hours he busted his ass to get home early for.

Grayson’s brows creased together, as he pulled up to the center, seeing a familiar presence trying to peer through the partially covered window.

What the hell is he doing here? Maybe I’m wrong, and it’s someone else who only looks like him.

Getting out of his car Grayson looked for the key he needed to open the door to his health center, he didn’t have time for any confrontation with a man he’d seen as his past. The closer he got he saw that it was who he had assumed it was.

“Donald, what are you doing here?”

“Is that all you have to say to me?” Donald asked with a smile that Grayson didn’t return.

“What do you want me to say?” Grayson asked. “I was under the impression you didn’t want to see me anymore after I turned down your offer to be your full-time submissive.”

Donald sighed and stepped closer to him. Grayson stepped back, not wanting to be too close to the other man. “I shouldn’t have pushed you away after you turned me down. I have to admit I was hurt but it was wrong of me to say the things I did.”

“Nothing like being told you only picked me because you thought I was easy pickings from the lot.”

Donald winced and looked away from him, there was something different about him, and Grayson couldn’t put his finger on it. Instinctively he sniffed the air noticing that Donald had a different scent than what Grayson remembered. It was wild like a wolf.

Wolf? When did he get turned into a wolf?

“Look I’m sorry,” Donald apologized.

“And you came all the way to my hometown to apologize to me?”

“That and to see what all the fuss was about.” Donald smiled. “I went to see you at your old apartment, and your roommate told me you returned home in time for the holidays.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a black velvet jewelry box. “Happy belated birthday,” he said handing the box to Grayson.

Why the hell didn’t Anita tell me? “I can’t take it, I’m sorry,” Grayson said holding up his hand. He knew it had to be a necklace or something in a likening to a collar and very expensive. Donald didn’t do things halfway.

“Why not?” Donald’s brows creased together in confusion. “Come on, Kitty,” he said using the nickname he used to call Grayson.

“I’m with someone, a new Dom.”

Donald stared at him for a few minutes before he tucked the box back into his jacket pocket. “I see. It’s permanent I take it?”

Grayson nodded his head. Donald didn’t know about the six months contract.

“Is he good to you?”

“Yes,” Grayson answered truthfully.

“I guess I was an idiot for letting you go when I should have fought for you,” Donald said sadly.

“It wouldn’t have worked between us,” Grayson told him. “You and I aren’t compatible as life partners.”

“Damn you’re never one to mince your words.”

Grayson smiled. “But you know that I’m right. You didn’t ask me to be your submissive because you loved me. Maybe you cared about me a little. You asked because you don’t want to be alone. And honestly, I understand.” In essence, he’d done the same thing with Chance. But with Chance, he felt a deeper connection that he hadn’t with anyone. But the more time they spent together made Grayson realize it was because they were mates.

“Yeah, I do. I knew buying your affection wouldn’t have worked, but I had to try.”

“I’m sorry Donald,” Grayson said looking up at his one-time lover. “But your boy is out there waiting for you.”

“Think I might find him here?” Donald asked looking around with a wistful smile on his face. “Want to show me around?”

“Not today, there’s somewhere I need to be in a bit.”

“I see you’re going to open your health center like you said you would,” Donald said looking at the outside of the building and then back to him.

“Yes, I did, it was always my dream to bring something new and fresh to Vale Valley.” He tilted his head staring at Donald. “But I need to ask you something and please don’t get angry.”

“What?” Donald said turning his bright green gaze on him.

“When did you become a werewolf?”

Donald smiled. “I figured you’d pick up on that. Anyway, It was the night you turned me down. I’ll tell you about it some other time. It’s kind of a crazy story.”

Meaning he went and did something stupid. Is that the reason why he’s here? Is he hiding from something or someone?

Grayson looked at Donald he was handsome and charming. Even though Donald was a Dominant and apparently a beta wolf, he had enough money to get him out of whatever trouble he was in. Whoever he was hiding from Vale Valley will protect him until he doesn’t want to be protected.

Donald sniffed the air, and his eyes widened. “How is it I never noticed that you are something other than human?”

“Because you weren’t supposed to,” Grayson said just as his cellphone rang. He looked down at the screen and smiled when he saw Chance’s name. “Hello, Sir.”

“I won’t be able to make our lunch date, but why don’t you meet me by the Vale lake in four hours.”

“Okay, is something wrong?” Grayson asked a bit worried.

“No,” Chance said with a chuckle. “I just need to take care of a couple of things.”

“Okay.”

“So, I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”

“Yes, Sir.” He hung up, and Grayson couldn’t stop smiling.

“He must be exceptional because I never got you to smile like that.”

He’d almost forgotten that Donald was still standing beside him. “Yeah, he is. Look I need to take care of a few things before I have to meet Chance. Why don’t we meet up some other time and I’ll give you a Vale Valley tour? But knowing you, you’ll find someone else to do that for me.”

“I’m not so sure about that.” Donald stepped close and was about to touch him, but Grayson stepped back. Getting the message Donald nodded and put his hand in his pocket. “I’m going to stay in town for a bit longer, maybe we’ll see each other again.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Grayson said turning and unlocking the door to the health center. He walked in closing the door behind him then leaning against it.

Why the hell is he here?

“Are you okay?”

He looked up when he heard Quintus’ voice.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he answered not ready to go into details. “What do you have for me?” Putting Donald’s sudden appearance out of his mind, he focused on the other love of his life. His center.