by Lynn Hagen
Brac Pack 30
Riley’s Downfall
Riley is one confused bear. He is quiet, moody, and aloof. He isn’t even mischievous like his six younger brothers. So why on earth is his mate a peculiar man that is Riley’s polar opposite?
Sterling loves the Lakeland ranch. He is especially enamored with one big bear shifter name Riley. The problem is, Riley won’t give Sterling the time of day. The man ducks and dodges Sterling every step of the way.
But when Maverick calls in a favor for Riley to be the temporary leader of the fey, Sterling finds himself in an elven village far from the ranch, and Riley isn’t too happy that Sterling stowed away in the back of his truck to get there.
Riley has been handed a huge responsibility. Maverick even called in a favor and had Max, Eagle, and Chey come to help Riley out. But his concerns aren’t with the fey. It’s with one slim human that just might be Riley’s downfall.
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 45,477 words
RILEY’S DOWNFALL
Brac Pack 30
Lynn Hagen
EVERLASTING CLASSIC
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic ManLove
RILEY’S DOWNFALL
Copyright © 2012 by Lynn Hagen
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-105-4
First E-book Publication: September 2012
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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RILEY’S DOWNFALL
Brac Pack 30
LYNN HAGEN
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Riley Lakeland wasn’t a happy bear.
As a matter of fact, he was downright baffled.
He sat on his horse—a brown Arabian named Warrior—staring at the ranch from the other side of the corrals, wondering if Sterling Lagrange was going to come bolting out the back door like he seemed to do every morning, and praying that the man didn’t.
Sterling flat-out confused Riley, and he didn’t like being confused.
Riley liked his nice, boring life.
And Sterling was anything but boring.
The man bubbled with excitement and babbled on and on about nothing in particular. Riley had never heard anyone talk so damn much in his life. It was like someone filled the guy up with sugar every morning and let him loose on the Lakeland household. Riley was quiet, observant, and not so sure he could handle a chatty mate. He was never too keen on chatterboxes, and Sterling was the poster boy for chatting about absolutely nothing anytime he was near Riley.
Or anyone else.
There were times when Riley would swear his ears were going to bleed from Sterling talking so damn much. The guy even talked to the animals on the farm. He sure as shit hoped his mate wasn’t looking for them to respond. But with Sterling, no one really knew.
The man bounced around the ranch from one thing to the next when he wasn’t working at the diner. Riley had never seen anyone in such good spirits all of the time either. Sterling was always smiling, always waving at one person or the next, even strangers. The man’s light-grey eyes seemed to always glow with some unknown enjoyment.
Didn’t the guy ever have an off day?
“If you stare at the house any harder, you’ll go cross-eyed,” Chance, one of Riley’s younger brothers, teased. Riley was the eldest brother of seven sons. He was a single birth, while Chance had a twin, Chauncey. Then there were the triplets, Olsen, Bryce, and Gavin. Roman was the youngest, and the only other single birth besides Riley. It was a daunting role to be big brother to so many, but Riley had taken on the roll and felt he did a pretty decent job helping his pa keep them in line.
But the twins and triplets still managed to cause havoc around the ranch. The twins mainly, but Bryce wasn’t too far behind them. “He’ll be out here before you know it, running around trying to pet cows and chasing behind Pa or Abe.”
“Don’t you have some work to get done?” Riley groused. He didn’t like the fact that Chance could read him so well. He also didn’t like the fact that his mate ran behind his pa or that incompetent fey. Sterling shouldn’t be running behind any man except Riley.
Sadly, his mate had run behind Riley, until Riley had bit Sterling’s head off about following him around. Now Sterling steered clear of Riley, and he wasn’t sure what he should do to fix the situation.
Riley wasn’t even sure if he should.
He didn’t want his mate following him around like a lost puppy, but he didn’t want his mate following any other man around either.
Fuck, he was so damn confused.
Riley had wanted a mate just like any other shifter, even if he had hooped and hollered about not needing one. Maybe it was his protesting that landed him Sterling. Maybe fate was paying him back for all the times he scoffed at his brothers for acting like damn idiots for their mates. He wasn’t sure the reason why, but fate was getting her just due rig
ht now. And it was in the form of one sexy and chatty-as-hell mate.
Maybe he should hide all the sweets in the house. That just might calm the man down. But Riley had a feeling that his mate’s excited demeanor was all Sterling.
And that was a fucking scary-ass thought.
“Pa’s coming,” Chance warned and then rode off, leaving Riley to stare at the back door a moment longer before he, too, took off.
He may be his pa’s right-hand man, but Malcolm Lakeland didn’t screw around when it came to getting work done. And Riley had done nothing this morning except watch for his mate to bound from the back door. His pa would be pissed if he knew Riley was screwing off like this. They had a ranch to run, and all Riley had managed to do lately was duck and dodge Sterling, hiding at every turn.
How in the fuck did a human turn Riley into someone who shucked his work just to make sure the guy didn’t spot him? He was a bear. A big, dominant, take-no-shit bear shifter, and some slim, happy-go-lucky human had come along and put the fear of god into him.
He was so screwed.
He pulled his Stetson from his head, running a hand over his hair. It was an irritating habit he had developed lately around Sterling. He found himself running his hand over his head anytime he became frustrated.
He was surprised he wasn’t bald by now.
Just as Riley tucked his hat back on his head and turned back around to see his pa heading his way, he also saw Sterling bolt out the back door, waving his hand toward Riley’s pa with a big goofy grin on his handsome face.
God, he was fucking sexy when he grinned like that.
Riley quickly looked away. It wouldn’t do for Sterling to see how interested he truly was.
Sterling was too damn young and too exuberant for Riley. It was true that Sterling was twenty-one, but Riley was a lot older, and a lot wiser than the cub. He was wise enough to know that his mate was nothing but trouble with a capital T.
The man was going to disrupt Riley’s quiet world, and had managed to do that already. Riley couldn’t even sit down to read a book without Sterling grabbing one himself and sitting next right to Riley. How in the hell was he supposed to concentrate on what he was reading with Sterling sitting next to him, humming as he read? Who hummed when they read?
The man made absolutely no sense to Riley.
His eyes snapped to his pa when the man approached. He prayed his pa hadn’t seen him ogling Sterling. He prayed Sterling hadn’t seen it either. Riley still wasn’t sure what to do with the man, so it was best Sterling not get the wrong impression.
“You have those fences mended, son?” his pa asked as he slowed his horse, Lover Lost.
Riley dipped his head in a nod as he tried to covertly sneak a glance at his mate. It wasn’t that he was interested. He just wanted to make sure Mr. Hyper wasn’t heading their way. Really, that’s all it was. He wasn’t wishing the man would bug him just so he could have a little of Sterling’s attention once more. Riley had made sure he had put a stop to that. So why in the fuck was he hoping Sterling came their way?
Fuck, Riley was a walking contradiction.
“Good. I need you to go into town to the feedstore and pick up my order,” Pa said as he clasped both hands on the saddle horn, eyeing Riley intently. “And you can take Sterling with you.”
Riley’s eyes snapped up as he gaped at his father. Had the man finally lost his damn mind? “Why?” he blurted out before he thought better of it. Damn it. Now Pa was going to make Sterling go just because he knew Riley was protesting.
His father was getting ornery in his old age.
“Because,” Pa said, his whole face spreading into a wide smile, “he needs to learn the ropes if he’s going to be sticking around here on the ranch.”
That made absolutely no sense to Riley. Why would a dishwasher need to learn about ranching? His pa knew Riley was quiet and reserved. His pa also knew Sterling could talk the ear off of a statue. Why was his pa torturing the shit out of him with Sterling? He couldn’t remember doing anything lately to warrant his pa trying to get even with him.
“But he already has a job at the diner.” Damn, if he didn’t sound like he was pouting. Riley was going to have to work on his tone when he objected. He might as well have stomped his foot in the process.
Riley knew he was in trouble when the twinkle in his pa’s eyes started to shimmer. “I’ve decided to hire Sterling as a ranch hand.”
Riley’s jaw dropped. “You what!”
Pa chuckled, and it was an ominous sound. He had an evil twist to his lips as he smiled at Riley. His pa leaned over and tapped the bottom of Riley’s chin. “Close your mouth, boy. You’re going to let all the flies in.”
Riley quickly closed his mouth, his eyes wandering over to where Sterling was talking to one of the cows.
Lord, help me.
“Why would you hire someone who knows absolutely nothing about ranching?” And why would his pa do this to him?
Riley was trying to keep his distance from Sterling, not work next to the man all day long. His cock already grew ramrod straight anytime Sterling was five feet from him. He knew it was the scent of his mate that kept him hard, but he also admitted that Sterling was a gorgeous man.
This was going to make working almost impossible. He couldn’t run from his help and expect Sterling to learn the ropes. No matter his objections, Riley would do what his pa asked. He was a loyal family man and respected his pa. But why couldn’t the guy ask him to tame Hell Raiser—the meanest black stallion Riley had ever come across—instead? That would be a lot easier than working around Sterling all day.
“I have Abe working the ranch and you don’t argue about it,” Pa pointed out.
Yeah, but Abe wasn’t his mate. Riley could leave Abe to his own devices. Riley knew for a damn fact his bear wasn’t going to let anything happen to Sterling. It roared at Riley every time he ran from Sterling.
Riley gave up the argument. He knew it was a lost cause. When his pa made up his mind, that was that. “I’ll head into town.”
Pa chuckled as he turned Lover Lost around, heading back toward the house. “Don’t sound like I’m sending you to your death, son. It’s just Sterling. He’s as harmless as a fly,” he shouted over his shoulder, and then laughed as he trotted away.
Riley narrowed his eyes. That man knew something. Riley hadn’t told anyone that Sterling was his mate. But Riley knew his pa knew. His pa had to know Riley and Sterling were mates or he wouldn’t be torturing Riley like this.
Turning Warrior toward the house, Riley groaned, knowing that Sterling was not only going to be his downfall, but his undoing as well. He could see it coming, and Riley was at a loss on how to avoid that train wreck from happening. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to avoid it or if he wanted it to happen.
Riley dismounted his horse and handed the reins off to his younger brother, Bryce, when he got close enough to the barn. He was not looking forward to the ride into town. Riley had been a prick to Sterling, and now he was going to have to sit next to the man and deal with his actions. “Can you take care of Warrior for me? I have to go into town for Pa.”
“Sure,” Bryce said as he grabbed the reins. “I ordered a new saddle last week. Can you see if it’s there while you’re at the feedstore?”
Riley tilted his head in a nod, wondering how he could get out of this in the next five seconds and knew he was wasting his time trying to ditch Sterling.
“Oh, and Riley,” Bryce called out as Riley began to walk to his truck. Riley turned and wished he hadn’t when he saw the wicked grin on his brother’s face. “Have fun on the drive into town.”
Riley growled as Bryce busted up laughing, shaking his head as he walked Warrior to the back of the barn. Riley wasn’t sure who figured out his relationship with Sterling, but it was a sure bet that if Bryce knew, everyone knew.
Damn it.
“I’m told I have to ride into town with you, sir.”
Riley’s steps slowed, and then he paused i
n his walking, glancing back at his mate. Sir? Where in the hell did that come from? Riley fully turned to see Sterling standing there, his big light-grey eyes filled with something Riley didn’t want to decipher. “Why are you calling me sir?”
“Because,” Sterling said as he grinned, making Riley’s cock harden and his heart melt, “Chauncey told me you liked to be called sir.”
Riley inwardly growled. One of these days he was going to teach his brothers a lesson. They played around a little too damn much. Just wait until he got his hands on the troublemaking twin. Riley balled his fists at his sides, ready to go find Chauncey and knock some sense into the man.
“Don’t call you sir?” Sterling asked, his mouth dipping down into a deep frown.
“Call me Riley.” He headed toward his truck, not waiting on the young man. Halfway to his truck, Riley spun around so fast, he nearly fell over his own feet.
“What’s wrong?” Sterling asked, blinking innocently up at him.
“You just touched my ass!”
“I did?” Sterling lifted his hands, looking at them as if they were their own entity. “Dang things must have a mind of their own.”
Riley sighed in exasperation, waving a hand toward the truck. “Get in.”
Sterling jumped into the truck so quickly, all Riley could do was shake his head. He couldn’t believe that his mate had patted his ass. What the hell was the guy thinking? Riley didn’t even want to begin to think about how much he had liked the light ass pat. That would make his head explode.
When Riley opened the driver’s door and jumped in, he nearly sat on Sterling. “Why are you sitting in the middle of the seat?”
Sterling pointed to his waist. “Because it has a seat belt.”
Riley leaned forward, pointing around his mate. “And so does the seat by the door.”
“I’m fine where I’m at.” Sterling tucked his hands between his knees. A smile remained on his extremely handsome face as he stared out of the windshield like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“You’re not going to move?”
“Nope.”
Brat.
Riley ground his teeth together as he started the truck, jamming the gear into drive. Not only were his pa and brothers out to torture him, so was his mate. Were they all conspiring against him? Riley pressed his left side into the door, trying to put as much room as he could between him and the exuberant young man. But for every inch he moved away, Sterling seemed to follow.
