SableThis can’t be real.It’s the only thought my stunned mind can form as a torrent of emotions rage through me.My heart crashes against my ribs as the man’s fingers dig into my arms, holding me tight against his body. His naked body, flush to mine from thigh to chest. There’s something hot and hard pressed against my belly that sends waves of fire through me—because I know what it is, and it’s as alluring as it is terrifying.I don’t know how this happened. I just wanted some fresh air.The water felt so good on my feet, and the moonlight made the forest and everything around me glow with the light I needed so badly after my nightmares.But then I wasn’t alone anymore. Suddenly, this man came out of nowhere, pulling me up and hauling me against his body.Jesus, it’s glorious. He’s glorious.I’m swelling with a mixture of shock and fear at his bruising grip and the way he dragged me to my feet. He’s aggressive, much more so in his movements than Ridge, Trystan, or Archer, and I kno

ArcherHoly fuck. She’s magnificent. Single-handedly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, standing between us with her hair wild and a hard glint in her eyes.I can scent her fear. There’s a tension in her body that speaks of a deep urge to run, the way a deer would bolt at the crack of a twig in the night. But she doesn’t. She stands there, chin in the air, stance wide and unmoving, despite the four powerful, intimidating shifters staring her down.Sable, my beautiful mate, refuses to bend, and this glimpse of the warrior inside her—the wolf inside her—sends a wave of warmth and respect through me.Back in the council’s meeting house, I felt an instant and undeniable connection to her because of the mate bond. Not exactly a bond a shifter can ignore, or have any control over at all, really. But every day we’ve spent together since, I’ve learned more about her, gotten to know what makes her tick. It’s only made me care for her more.She’s an amazing woman. Stronger than she even k

SableWhen I wake up to late morning sunlight, all four men are already up. I can hear the low murmur of their voices conversing from the back of the cabin. I slide out of bed and fish out one of Amora’s loaned T-shirts and a pair of shorts from my pack, get dressed, then run my fingers through my hair before padding out to join them in the kitchen.Archer is standing over the wood stove as something delicious sizzles in the cast-iron skillet. He looks up as I enter and offers me a brilliant smile. “Good morning. Sleep well?”“After the late night interlude, yeah,” I reply, passing him to join the others at the table.There are already dishes waiting—a plate piled high with pancakes, a pitcher of warmed syrup, a dish of sausage patties, and a smaller bowl of scrambled eggs.“We’re having a feast,” I observe as I sit between Dare and Trystan. I try to keep my tone teasing and flippant, but I’m dying to eat every last thing on this table. Breakfast at my uncle’s usually ended at cereal

SableOver the next several days, things begin to shift between the five of us.It’s hard to believe how quickly these men have become a huge part of my life. I can barely remember when they weren’t in my life, even though it was barely two weeks ago that Ridge found me in that ravine. There are still plenty of things I don’t know about them and things they don’t know about me. But I’ve stopped holding myself back as much, letting down little pieces of the barrier around my heart.It meant more than I thought it would to tell my story out loud and have these four beautiful, protective men look at me the same way they did before they knew how fucked up my life has been.I know they all hate my uncle, and I know they all hurt for me.But they don’t look at me like I’m broken.Damaged.Ruined.They look at me like they always have, since pretty much the first moment I met them.Like I’m special.Like I’m perfect—just the way I am.It’s a balm to my soul, and their acceptance of even my

SableThis massive, powerful, controlled man wants me.Needs me.And I need him too.“Ridge, I…” My tongue darts out to lick my lips, tasting the addictive flavor of him on my skin. I don’t know quite what I want to say, what I want to ask for, but I hope he can understand.The wolf shifter’s amber eyes almost seem to glow in the fading light. He opens his mouth to speak when a soft noise comes from behind the cabin.He goes tense, his gaze darting to the back door.“Do you think they’re already back?” I ask, confused by his reaction. If it were only Trystan, Archer, and Dare outside, I don’t think he’d look so ready to fight. My skin prickles with unease.Ridge’s senses are on full alert. Even in human form, he looks like a wolf, with his nose in the air and his eyes unfocused as he listens to sounds well outside my range of hearing. “No. I don’t think so. That’s not anyone I know.”Fear strikes a chord within me, and I fight the urge to run. “A stranger?”Ridge catches my frightene