Free The Beast Within by Terra Laurent

a hundred years old. The wolf was deeply ingrained within him. Matthew was not much younger, and also a very lupine man. It made sense they would be together, for no one could understand the mind of an alpha like another male of near age and status, not even an alpha female—which was a historically scarce thing in Carlos’ clan. Pack business forced the leaders to be close, to develop a tight bond of mutual trust which undoubtedly fostered other feelings of closeness. As much as he hated it, Aaron understood that part. What he was having trouble with was how they could forsake each other over and over, yet still come back together like nothing was wrong. That, and how his entire relationship with Carlos now seemed contrived, scheduled to fail.
    His mind inadvertently turned to Tony, and the hurt he would feel if Tony were to spurn him out of boredom. Although it was an unpleasant sensation, it somehow made facing Carlos a little easier.
    “So then why are you and Matthew here?”
    “Can we go somewhere else?” Carlos gestured to their surroundings with a wry grin.
    Aaron took in the dripping showerhead, the limp towel, his borrowed and now thoroughly dampened track pants. He couldn’t resist a small smile in return. “So, my standards aren’t high enough for the alpha of the Trinity Clan?”
    “Your standards are perfect,” Carlos said. His face sobered. “I’m sorry it turned out like this.”
    Aaron nodded. “Go on into the living room. There are sodas and stuff in the fridge, harder stuff in the far left upper cabinet if you want. I’m going to change my clothes and then I’ll be out.”
    Once safe behind the closed bedroom door, Aaron exhaled a shaky breath.
    “Shit.” He borrowed Tony’s interjection, breathed it softly so Carlos’ wolf ears didn’t pick it up. He leaned against the jamb for a moment until the shakiness subsided. He hadn’t had a panic attack since he’d left California. It was strange he would relapse on the night Carlos came to town. Maybe some connection inside him noted the pack leader’s presence, stirred up the old ghost.
    He pulled a pair of clean jeans from his dresser and a loose button-up from his closet. He left his feet bare, as the dark thing had taught him distaste for suffocating shoes. He looked in the mirror and gave a quick swipe to his hair. The banal sandy locks fell right back into chaos, and he let them be. He wasn’t trying to impress anyone. Not anymore.
    He opened the door to find Carlos on the couch, a mixed drink in hand. He watched Aaron approach, swirling the glass so the ice clinked rhythmically against the glass.
    “You look good, mi hombre ,” he said as Aaron sat in the armchair opposite him.
    No more ‘guapo’ for you. Out loud, Aaron replied, “I feel good. Aside from tonight’s little freak fest, I’ve been in control.”
    “You shifted today.” It wasn’t a question.
    “Earlier. To save my partner.”
    “You let a Kapre agent see you shift?” Carlos’ voice lost the friendly edge and took on the authoritative growl of the alpha.
    “It was necessary. He won’t say anything.”
    “How do you know that?”
    Because he already had me handcuffed to a pipe and didn’t bother to call it in. “We’re friends.”
    “Fast friends, eh?” Carlos agitated the ice cubes until they rattled like teeth in the cold. “People who are quick to help oftentimes want something from you.”
    “Kind of like how you were quick to take me in?”
    “Ah, you get sharper every day.” Carlos smiled. “Do you remember how I found you?”
    “How can I forget?”
    “You were in the hospital, under observation. They had you listed as a bear-mauling survivor. But I had heard of the real attack and was looking out for survivors…”
    “You mean new pack members.”
    “Yes,” Carlos agreed. “When I got word of you, I came to see you.”
    “You looked like an English teacher with those little round vanity glasses and that stupid brown