Free Michael's Mate by Lynn Tyler Page A

fine balance between serious and playful. He could be damn mean when he needed to but was always ready with a smile for him.
    Whenever things got too hard in life, he only needed to look for the blond eagle and everything was right again.
    And the sex. Oh, holy shit, the sex was unbelievable.
    “Why?”
    His friend’s voice broke through his thoughts. Her jerked his head up and blinked at Gray. “Sorry?”
    Gray smirked at him. “I was going to ask why you’re scared but it looks like you’re over that.” He nodded toward Michael’s crotch.
    Well, goddamn. He had a huge boner. Once upon a time, he would have been embarrassed but it was a normal occurrence these days.
    “I think scared is the wrong word,” he answered. “I really don’t want to have sex in front of Declan and Quinn. Something about that seems so wrong.”
    “You’ve been to plenty of mating ceremonies,” Gray pointed out. “I didn’t see you complaining.”
    Michael stood up and stretched. “I know. It seems so impersonal. And I’d rather keep that part of Justin and I private.”
    His friend nodded, reaching for another cookie. He broke it in half and handed one side to Michael. “I get it. You’d prefer a completely private moment with Justin instead of having the Alpha witness it. Why don’t you just tell Dec? He’s fond of you. He’ll let you do whatever you want.”
    “There’s been too many private matings recently,” he broke off to stare pointedly at his friend. “Mating ceremonies are like the backbone to a good pack.”
    Gray goggled at him. “You don’t really believe that shit, do you? Mating ceremonies are an excuse for a party. They’re also Quinn’s excuse to order Chinese food.”
    “I guess,” Michael said. “It doesn’t matter, though. It’s a little late to change everything and Justin’s pretty happy with what’s been planned.”
    His friend frowned but the baby started squawking, quickly morphing from indignant whines to shrieks of anger. Gray shoved the rest of the cookie in his mouth and pointed at him. “Think about what I said.”

Chapter 2
    Justin struggled with the giant shopping bag of clothes his secretary had brought in. She’d taken a shine to Gray Mitchell’s little nieces and had marched a whole wardrobe for them into the office, declaring that she only had grandsons and it had been a pleasure to shop for little girls.
    He stumbled up the porch steps, kicking the door with the tip of his boot since his hands were otherwise occupied.
    The door swung open, revealing a grave Hope.
    “Hello,” she whispered.
    “Hi, sweetie. Are you supposed to be opening the door?”
    A delighted squeal sounded from somewhere in the depths of the house and the little girl’s mouth pulled into a pout. “Uncle Shannon said I could answer it.”
    A big fat tear slid down her cheek. He dropped his bags and reached down to stroke it off her face. “What’s the matter?”
    “It’s not fair,” she wailed.
    Thoroughly confused, he crouched and tried to gather the wiggling little girl into his arms. “What’s not fair?”
    “Don’t worry,” a deep voice said from above.
    Shannon grinned down at him and scooped Hope up. “She’s a little put out since Quinn found her first. They’re playing hide and seek.”
    “Ah,” Justin responded.
    “Come on in,” the tiger invited. “What’s all this?”
    He explained his secretary’s fondness for the girls as he hauled one of the bags over the threshold.
    “Why don’t you go help Quinn find the twins?” Shannon suggested to Hope, setting her on her feet.
    The little girl took off, cackling like a mad woman.
    “Wow,” Justin said. “She went from the world is ending to the world is mine fast.”
    “Yeah. Gray and I are pretty sure she’s going to take over the world one day. He’s already saying he feels sorry for her boyfriends.”
    The tiger reached around him and picked up another bag. “I’ll have to bring the girls in to say thanks. Maybe