by Fel Fern
Darkfall Mountain Pack 12
Mating Kian
As a new member of the Darkfall Mountain pack, Kian is sent to spy on a new wolf pack in their old hometown. With a war brewing on the horizon, the pack needs allies. Kian isn’t aware that the Alpha of the pack he is supposed to recruit is watching his every move. Noel is nothing like Kian expected. The Alpha is domineering, rough, and yet there is a soft side to Noel, too. The harder Kian fights his attraction, the closer Noel and he become.
Noel is Alpha of the Blood Ruby pack. He is suspicious of outsiders, and Kian seems to have knowledge of the massive kidnapping operation run by humans. With his sister missing, Noel needs answers, and Kian is the key. Noel takes Kian captive, though the last thing Noel expects is Kian’s compliance. Finding out Kian is his fated mate complicates matters. Sparks fly between them, but can their love survive the secrets and suspicion?
Genre: Alternative (M/M, Gay), Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 21,632 words
MATING KIAN
Darkfall Mountain Pack 12
Fel Fern
EROTIC ROMANCE
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove
MATING KIAN
Copyright © 2016 by Fel Fern
E-book ISBN: 978-1-68295-478-2
First E-book Publication: September-2016
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2016 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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Regarding E-book Piracy
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This is Fel Fern’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Fel Fern’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
To readers who’ve followed this series from the start and to new ones, I hope you enjoy Noel and Kian’s story.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
About the Author
MATING KIAN
Darkfall Mountain Pack 12
FEL FERN
Copyright © 2016
Chapter One
Kian Jones stared out the rolled-down windows of his brother’s battered green Camaro. They didn’t speak much during the drive. They didn’t need to. Over the past year, their lives had undergone a major upheaval. Hunted by humans eager to use shifters as science experiments, their old pack had been decimated, leaving only the weaker werewolves.
That sad little number included the two of them along with four others. Logan, mate of their deceased Alpha, had led their escape. Since then, they’d been living under the protection of the strongest pack in the country, the only pack successfully holding their own against Alpine Industries.
The large pharmaceutical company was merely a front for the less than savory activities of paranormal hate groups. After sustaining severe causalities during their last encounter with Alpine Industries, the Darkfall Pack bolstered their defenses and didn’t trust anyone easily.
The Darkfall Mountain Pack had been wary of Kian and the others at first. Now Logan and Martin, Logan's best friend, were mated to two of the Darkfall wolves.
“Do you need me to go over the plan?” his brother, Nathan asked, turning off the radio.
“No. I got it.” Kian did his best to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Even without looking, he knew Nathan wore a frown on his face.
“Kian, this is important.”
“I know how important this mission is,” he snapped back, irritated.
Kian could feel his wolf underneath his skin itching to be let out. Lately, it had been doing that. He couldn’t comprehend why. Maybe it was because of the constant fear plaguing him over the past few months. Living alongside the Darkfall wolves hadn’t been easy. The aggressive pack might have welcomed Logan and Martin into their arms, but Kian and the rest were still outsiders. This mission could change things.
Investigate their hometown. That was their task. It sounded simple enough. According to rumor, there was a new wolf pack that took residence there. They were small but formidable, and in the upcoming war with Alpine Industries, the Darkfall pack was looking for new allies.
“Do you?” Nathan asked quietly.
Kian quietly seethed but held back his tongue. Nathan didn’t deserve it. After their parents died when he was fifteen and Nathan was eighteen, his older brother fought for him and insisted on staying together. Even after receiving the werewolf bite, they stubbornly stuck to each other’s side. The Alpha of their old pack took pity on them and decided to take them both under his wing.
When it was time to pay that favor back, Kian and the others had failed their old pack. Failing the Darkfall Pack wasn’t an option. Although some of the wolves kept an aloof distance, most of the Darkfall wolves welcomed them with open arms. They’d helped make the Blue River Pack wolves’ transition to the town easy. Just weeks after Nathan and Kian moved in, the wolves helped Nathan and Kian search for jobs and a reasonably priced apartment.
A werewolf needed more to live on, though. The two missing components in Kian’s life were a pack and a mate. Sure, the survivors of their old pack were close, but lately, Lo
gan and Martin were spending more time with their mates, as if they’d forgotten their old pack mates. Kian knew he was being selfish. What did he know about mating bonds? Very little. The concept of being tied to one man until death terrified the hell out of him.
He’d been there when Logan lost his first mate. Logan had become a ghost of his former self. Some of them feared that after Logan successfully helped them reached Darkfall Mountain, Logan would take his own life.
“Sorry, little brother. I’m just on edge,” Nathan muttered.
Kian finally looked at Nathan, noticing the dark shadows under his eyes. Nathan sometimes took the role of older brother and protector too seriously and kept secrets from him.
“Did something happen?” Kian asked.
“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about this, about coming back to Blue River.”
“I know what you mean.” Kian stared at the open road ahead of them.
Like Darkfall, the land around Blue River was surrounded by forests. It was the perfect place for shifters to let loose and raise wolf pups, except the Blue River woods weren’t safe. The last time Kian had been in those woods, it had been a nightmare. Coming back here would trigger negative emotions and bad memories, he knew that. Yet both Nathan and he volunteered. If they managed this one last task, they could finally belong to a pack again.
They were like two children pressing their faces against the candy store window. It hurt to admit, but their former pack looked disorganized compared to the way Sergio, Alpha of the Darkfall pack, ran his. The pack functioned like a single military mind, but they weren’t cold and efficient killing machines. The bonds between each wolf were strong and warm. Kian and his brother longed to be part of something so wonderful again.
“We should have agreed to let one of the Darkfall wolves accompany us,” Kian pointed out.
They had gone over this argument several times. To Nathan, accepting help was a weakness. His brother’s insistence to Sergio they would be fine on their own galled Kian. They knew next to nothing about this new pack that had taken residence in their old home, save for the information Sergio’s spies handed to them.
Nathan gritted his teeth. “We’re not going over this again. Any pack respects strength. If something happens, I can protect you.”
“I’m twenty-three, an adult. I can handle myself.” Kian silently swore.
Internal strife wouldn’t get them anywhere. He knew how these kinds of arguments went. Both of them were stubborn as hell. Nathan would never admit his mistake, and Kian wouldn’t apologize out of wounded pride. Sighing in resignation, Kian picked up the folder on the dashboard. He flipped through the file, although he’d done so several times during the long drive.
It was information on the Blood Ruby Pack, the pack that had decided to make their old home their new territory. Kian harbored no ill feelings toward this new group, only mild curiosity. According to the file, there were only five members. There were vague descriptions of the wolves along with names, but nothing concrete. They were a roaming pack, one that didn’t claim a territory like most packs. Had they made the town of Blue River their home, or would they move on again?
Buried feelings rose up as they drove past the Blue River town sign and into the main area.
“Nothing has changed,” Kian murmured. The same shops lined the street, and he spotted familiar townsfolk he’d brushed by in the past.
“No, things are different.”
At Nathan’s comment, Kian observed the people and cars they passed. His brother was right. Folks hurried to get from one place to the next, seemingly wary of danger. His wolf sensed apprehension in the air. The town hadn’t been like this when they left. The Alpine testing facility in the woods might have closed down, but perhaps people might be worried that they might be back soon. Kian didn’t look forward to that part of their mission.
Since they were here, they might as well investigate the abandoned facility. Nathan parked the car in front of the Cloudy Inn. They’d often passed by the charming little bed and breakfast when they walked to school. Kian shrugged off his nerves. They didn’t need to linger in the town. This place once had been their home, but no longer.
The sooner they get this job over with, the better.
Killing the engine, Nathan got out. Kian followed. They took their overnight bags from the back. A week or two at the most had been their estimated timeline. No doubt some of the townsfolk would recognize them. For now, they were two shifter brothers who’d gone on a nostalgic trip back home.
As they entered the inn, the skin on Kian’s back prickled. He turned around, frowning. Was it his imagination, or was someone watching them? Seeing no one, he shrugged and followed his brother.
Like most towns, Blue River was populated by both humans and the supernatural. Save for the Blood Ruby Pack, there were no dominant animal groups in the areas. Kian knew there were a few paranormal loners, a few vampires, fae, and stray shifters with no interest in joining a group.
He was being paranoid. That was all. There was always a stream of tourists coming in and out of Blue River. Their arrival shouldn’t have raised any red flags.
Once they got their room keys, they headed upstairs and dumped their bags.
Kian walked to the windows, pulling aside the curtains to see the view. Their fifth-floor room gave a view of Blue River. The town wasn’t big. It wouldn’t take long to casually ask around and find out where the Blood Ruby Pack had taken residence. Groups of that size usually lived close to each other.
The sun was about to set. Good. Stalking was usually done better in the dark. There was no point in idling around.
As if reading his mind, Nathan said, “We’ll get dinner and head for the old facility.”
The thought of investigating the site once used to torture shifters still gave Kian the creeps, but there was no helping it. He needed to strap on a pair of balls and get this job done and over with.
“I’m going for a shower first.”
Nathan plopped on the bed, bringing the file on the Blood Ruby Pack with him. “Fine, but don’t take too long.”
Kian kicked off his shoes and headed to the shower. Stripping down, he shoved his head under the cold water and shut his eyes. His wolf hadn’t calmed down since they came here. Kian couldn’t let the beast get the better of him.
That would only mean a loss of control, and Nathan would start thinking he wasn’t dependable. Not fair, because Kian had been taking self-defense lessons along with other members of his pack and with Raul, Martin’s mate and one of the Darkfall enforcers.
Contrary to his brother’s belief Kian needed protecting, he could handle himself. Besides, it wasn’t like they anticipated a fight. Gathering information and civilized negotiations were all they were going do here. He rubbed at the goose bumps on his arms. He could see his wolf pacing restlessly inside him.
Why? There were only two explanations. Either the animal sensed imminent danger, or it wanted some company.
Kian let out a laugh. Thinking of sex at a time like this was ridiculous. Besides, what did he know of relationships?
He had the cute-guy thing going on, which meant he didn’t have any problems hooking up with some random stranger in a bar. He’d never been interested in finding a mate, and yet, according to shifter customs, every werewolf was born missing a part of themselves. It was an empty half supposedly filled by their soul mate.
What bullshit.
He always got into trouble when he was younger. Nathan disapproved of him going out to bars, of his frequent one-night stands. Well, Nathan disapproved of a lot of things. His brother claimed Kian was reckless and never thought things through. Kian didn’t want to prove Nathan right. There was too much at stake.
“Get it together,” Kian muttered to himself.
Nathan needed him. The Darkfall Pack needed them. Coming back here had rattled him. That was all. Once he shoved aside the old fears, Kian could return to normal.
* * * *
�
��Are you sure you’re done? You hardly ate anything tonight,” Nathan observed, nodding to his barely touched plate of ribs.
“I’m distracted. I want to get this job over with.”
“Yeah. It’s strange coming back, isn’t it?” Nathan looked lost in his own train of thought.
“Any dessert, gentlemen?” a pretty redheaded waitress asked.
“No. Thank you.” Kian fished out his wallet and paid for their meal. “I need some air.”
He and Nathan exited Lydia’s Diner. They’d been coming here since they were kids. Every time Kian got good grades at school, Nathan would bring him here for a rib-and-steak dinner to celebrate. Tonight, Kian could hardly taste the food.
“Sorry for being such a prick,” Kian told Nathan, who blinked.
“It’s understandable.”
They got back in the car. Nathan drove to the outskirts of town. The road here was bordered with trees, and few cars passed them. The only light that illuminated the surroundings was the moon and stars. Nathan parked the car on the side. Once the lights were turned off, only a shifter could make out the car in the dark.
They stripped down and put their clothes and belongings aside. The oak trees beckoned to him. He wanted to be on all four paws and feel the night wind on his face as soon as possible. Kian reached for his wolf. Shifting forms always hurt, like he was being turned inside out. However, the change came easily.
Fur replaced human skin. Bones popped. Claws and fangs replaced human teeth and nails. It felt good shrugging off his vulnerable human skin in exchange for his powerful beast. Nathan finished seconds earlier. Aside from being a little bigger, the gray wolf to his side looked exactly like Kian. A howl tore from Kian’s throat. Even in wolf form, he could see Nathan’s disapproving look.