The Love He Squirreled Away

Mate or Meal 3

The Love He Squirreled Away

Stew or spouse? It is the dilemma werewolf Soren fights upon taking squirrel-shifter Daniel as his mate. His duty as an Alpha forces him to keep his mate a secret while his heart and his beast demand to claim Daniel.

Daniel has always feared getting too close to others since a lethal disease branded him as an outcast for his kind. He dares to make an exception for Soren, despite Soren’s difficult situation.

Surpassing his feelings of inadequacy is a challenge, even if he knows Soren would never betray their bond.

But just as Daniel starts to make new friends within the pack, there are other forces at work that do not agree to the two men’s mating. A vicious attack on Soren’s loved ones is pinned on Daniel, and all loyalties begin to be questioned. How long will Daniel be allowed to keep his role as Soren’s spouse?

Genre:
Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length:
40,669 words

THE LOVE HE

SQUIRRELED AWAY

Mate or Meal 3

Scarlet Hyacinth

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

THE LOVE HE SQUIRRELED AWAY

Copyright © 2011 by Scarlet Hyacinth

E-book ISBN: 1-61926-119-7

First E-book Publication: December 2011

Cover design by Jinger Heaston

All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

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The Love He Squirreled Away
by Scarlet Hyacinth from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

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For all the loyal readers who purchased
The Lamb Who Cried
Wolf
and
The Wolf Who Hatched an Egg
. You’re the best!

THE LOVE HE

SQUIRRELED AWAY

Mate or Meal 3

SCARLET HYACINTH

Copyright © 2011

Daniel watched in awe as his friend, Shiloh, played with his new cygnet and his mate in the grass. Who’d have thought a wolf and a swan could become mates and care for a child together? Certainly not Daniel, but Liam, Shiloh, and Reed proved him wrong.

Even as he observed the group, Daniel still couldn’t believe Shiloh had recovered from his coma. He’d been shot a few weeks back by his former boyfriend, Charles, and doctors had given him little chances of recovery. As it turned out, when Shiloh’s egg hatched, it had boosted Shiloh’s recovery. Now, at last, after so much pain, Shiloh could be happy with his son, Reed, and his mate, Liam.

“It’s amazing to see, isn’t it?” a voice said by Daniel’s side.

Daniel turned and offered Soren a tremulous smile. Soren was Liam’s friend and Alpha, and had come to help them protect the egg.

But he was also a man Daniel felt very attracted to, and he didn’t know how to deal with that. “It is, indeed,” he answered. “I am truly enthused that Shiloh can at last rejoice with his mate and child. I admit I did not expect a wolf to give him the happiness he deserves.”

Soren arched a brow at him, and Daniel felt his face flame. He wondered just how much Soren had understood his reply. Daniel
The Love He Squirreled Away

9

tended to babble and speak very quickly, more so when nervous. Far too often, he even insulted people. He’d have preferred it had the wolf not grasped his every word, since he seemed to be in insert-foot-in-mouth mode.

Soren chuckled. “Well, you’ll find wolves can surprise you.” His words made it quite apparent that he understood Daniel but wasn’t upset. The wolf’s expression sobered, and he pulled Daniel into the shadow of a nearby tree. Daniel yelped in surprise at the sudden motion. He opened his mouth to ask Soren what in the world he thought he was doing, but when the werewolf pressed their bodies together, he forgot what he meant to say. The man’s scent, his heat, the barely restrained passion hidden under the surface short-circuited Daniel’s brain, making him ache. He felt Soren’s cock throb against his thigh, and all of a sudden, he could only think about having it in his ass. “I really want to prove that to you,” Soren added.

The words snapped Daniel out of his lust-introduced trance. He realized they were, for all accounts, still in public, with Shiloh’s cygnet just a few feet away. And that wasn’t the only problem. In fact, it was just the beginning.

“Soren, I’m not sure this is wise. I know it seems our friends can make a relationship between predator and prey work, but that does not offer any guarantees.”

Soren didn’t know anything about him, his past, or his family. It occurred to Daniel that maybe he’d misinterpreted the entire thing and made a fool out of himself again. “Of course, you and I don’t have an actual relationship. I just mean—”

“Don’t tell me you don’t feel this, because I won’t believe you,”

Soren cut him off.

Daniel gulped, for once in his life speechless. Unfazed, Soren continued, “I haven’t made my move because it simply wasn’t the time. Things are still so messed up.” Soren took a deep breath, as if having trouble speaking. “But you’re my mate, Dani. I want you to know that and to give me a chance. Come home with me.”

10

Scarlet Hyacinth

Daniel’s entire body responded to the sinful note in the other man’s words. It would be easy, so very easy to give in. But he knew he couldn’t do it. For one, he understood Soren’s position. Getting romantically involved with an Alpha wolf was just begging for heartbreak. While Daniel might have his own little kinks, having his soul shredded wasn’t one of them.

“I don’t deny that I would like to take you up on your offer,” he said hesitantly, “but it’s not a good idea.” He swallowed around the knot in his throat, the word “mate” sounding in his ears stronger than ever. “I don’t think I can be what you need. I’m not even sure I am your mate.”

The words sounded false even to his own ears, and Soren’s eyes were like daggers that pierced his heart. “Of course you are. I knew it from the first moment you spoke to me.”

Daniel remembered that time well. Soren had been suggesting to Shiloh to give up the then-unhatched Reed, and Daniel had said,

“Would you do that if it were your own pup?”
Even then, Daniel had felt drawn to the other man. Ironically, as he recalled it, he acknowledged Soren’s necessity for children, something Daniel could never give him. It was a bad idea, and Daniel needed to back off before it got too difficult.

“Soren, surely you realize how wrong we are for each other.

We—”

He didn’t get to finish the phrase. The wolf crushed their lips together, and Daniel forgot all about his protests. He gasped, and the other man took advantage of the occasion to thrust his tongue into Daniel’s mouth.

The first taste of Soren made Daniel’s head spin and an odd dizziness course over him. He couldn’t think. He could only feel, his senses assaulted by Soren’s scent, by his presence and power.

He might have allowed the werewolf to fuck him right then and there had the sound of a cleared throat not interrupted them. Soren
The Love He Squirreled Away

11

broke their kiss, and Daniel briefly glimpsed the sight of Liam’s amused face before Soren shielded him from sight. “What?”

“Just thought I should remind you we are in public, with children just a few feet away.”

It wasn’t a reproach, not really, not in the way Liam put it, but truth be told, he had a point. To a certain extent, Daniel did feel a bit embarrassed. He’d never been big on public displays of affection.

They made him even more nervous and spastic. Now, though, he didn’t fear what others thought of him. He feared for Soren, for his position, his life, and his pack.

“You have our thanks,” he said hastily as he broke away from Soren. “I should go.”

“No, wait,” Soren said, grabbing his arm. “We still need to talk.”

Daniel bit his lip, and Liam discreetly left, returning to his mate’s side. Once they were granted privacy, Soren whispered, “Baby, I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right. We’ll take our time.

Just...don’t say no outright. Let me deal with things. We can make it work, I promise.”

Daniel took a deep breath, struggling to control the emotions he couldn’t understand. “You should not make promises you can’t keep.”

Soren pulled him close once more. “I’d never break my word, especially not to you.”

Daniel closed his eyes and allowed the man to hold him. “All right, Soren. We can try.” Acutely aware of all the people present in their proximity, Daniel added, “However, we shouldn’t do it here.”