1
Peter
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
Peter’s court-appointed lawyer looked bored as he skimmed through the slim file on the table, his attention clearly elsewhere.
“I’m sure,” Peter said, his hands going numb from the too-tight cuffs around his wrists.
He needed to get out, and he’d do whatever it took to make that happen—even if it meant selling himself into virtual slavery to a horny alpha werewolf for the rest of his life.Anythingwould be better than another ten years in this place. He’d thought that the omega hormone blockers would be like his regular heat blockers, but theyweren’t, and he shuddered to think what state his body would be in after ten years on the vicious drugs.
“And you understand that once you sign this, there’s no going back?” For the first time since entering the room, the lawyer made eye contact.
“I do.”
The lawyer slid a piece of paper across the table, reaching over and putting a little check next to the blank line where Peter should put his signature. “Then sign here, and that will be it. You’ll be removed from Lockland Omega Penitentiary within the hour and transferred to a matching agency.”
Peter scanned the contract, making sure that it was the same one he’d seen a sample of in the library. Everything looked the same. Taking the pen, he signed his name, the signature a shaky parody of its usual confident and loopy self.
It was done.
The lawyer took the paper and put it on top of all his other documents, stacking them haphazardly on the table and stuffing them into his battered old backpack and standing up.
“Stay here. Someone will come around in a little while to collect you. Whatever personal effects you had on you when you arrived will be forwarded to whoever buys your contract. Good luck.”
The lawyer left the room, not waiting for a reply or even looking back as he exited through the heavy steel door. A few seconds after the door closed, the sound of the lock slamming shut echoed through the barren little room.
Peter was alone. Closing his eyes, he tried to tell himself that this was for the best. Even if the werewolf that bought him wasn’t the nicest, there was no way he could be worse than the people in here.
This was for the best.
Heart hammering, white flecks starting to close in on his vision, Peter tried to stave off the panic attack he could feel building in his chest. He clenched his fists and bent his neck, closing his eyes.
This was for the best.
It had to be.
2
Carver
“You’re being weird,” Carver accused his husband. They were coming back from their weekly date night, and Tex had been acting shifty all through the evening. Carver had called him on it several times, but Tex denied that anything was going on.
He was very obviously lying.
“I’m not,” Tex protested. He laughed like Carver was being ridiculous, but Carver knew him well enough to know it was fake. The smile and crinkled eyes might fool anyone else, but Carverknewhis husband.
Carver glared, and for once he wasn’t distracted by how handsome Tex was. With smoldering green eyes, an aquiline nose and a dimpled chin, his husband was handsome even for a werewolf. His dark stubble coated his wide jaw, and his sensual mouth was just made for kissing and sucking cock. The fact that he was built like a stack of bricks and stood a solid six-foot-seven also didn’t hurt.
“You are,” Carver insisted. “It’s starting to freak me out.”
They’d reached their house, Tex pulling the car into the garage and turning off the engine. He leaned back with a sigh.
“We’ll talk about it inside.”
“All right,” Carver said, satisfied that Tex was finally admitting that something was up. He climbed out of the car, Tex following him, taking his time and being nothing like his usual self.
Carver headed inside, going to the bathroom just so that Tex could have a few minutes to collect himself. Whatever he had on his mind, it was obviously something serious.
