Holding Tight [The Exiled 4] (Siren Publishing: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection) Read online

  The Exiled 4

  Holding Tight

  Running from a past he wants to forget, Kyle ends up at Zeus’s large estate. Kyle never stays in one place for too long, always fearing his past will catch up to him, but Zeus won’t allow him to take off. When Kyle’s best friend drops by for a visit, he brings a few winged beasts with him, and one of those beasts is his mate.

  Nikoli has always been pretty laid-back. But when he discovers that Kyle is his, he refuses to let the little impala run from him. He claims his zaterio the first night, promising to keep Kyle safe.

  When Kirk finally catches up to Kyle, Nikoli isn’t so sure he can keep that promise. Kyle’s ex is dark and depraved and will stop at nothing to get his pet back, but Nikoli is just as determined to stop Kirk at all costs.

  Genre: Alternative (M/M/, Gay), Fantasy, Paranormal, Shape-shifter, Vampires/Werewolves,

  Length: 28,318 words

  HOLDING TIGHT

  The Exiled 4

  Lynn Hagen

  THE LYNN HAGEN

  MANLOVE COLLECTION

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection

  HOLDING TIGHT

  Copyright © 2016 by Lynn Hagen

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-68295-579-6

  First E-book Publication: October 2016

  Cover design by Emma Nicole

  All art and logo copyright © 2016 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.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Holding Tight by Lynn Hagen from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Lynn Hagen’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Lynn. Hagen’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  About the Author

  HOLDING TIGHT

  The Exiled 4

  LYNN HAGEN

  Copyright © 2016

  Chapter One

  “I can’t believe you left me here for fifty-thousand years,” Kyle complained as his best friend walked through the front door of Zeus’s estate.

  “It was more like two weeks,” Morgan corrected him and then pulled Kyle in for a hug. “Stop bitching. You were surrounded by gorgeous men the whole time.”

  “Taken men,” Kyle pointed out with a pout. “It isn’t any fun when none of them are available. I don’t poach, so all I could do was look. No touchy.”

  “You remember Renato?” Morgan waved to the thick, muscular man standing beside him. How could Kyle forget the guy? He’d been part of the reason all hell had broken loose back at Kyle and Morgan’s apartment.

  “Yes.” Kyle turned his glare to Morgan’s mate. “I remember him bossing me around, his friend threatening me, and then being dragged from my home.”

  “No one dragged you,” Renato argued and then shook his head. “I’ll leave you two to catch up. I have a meeting, and already he’s given me a headache.”

  “You’re just as migraine inducing yourself,” Kyle shot back and then furrowed his brows. “What meeting?”

  Morgan shrugged. “Renato and some of the other winged beasts need to talk with Zeus.”

  Leaning in toward Morgan, Kyle whispered, “That’s one scary-ass alpha. Have you seen how big Zeus is? And damn, he looks like he can scare eight lives out of a cat.”

  “I’ve never met him personally, but I’ve heard about him,” Morgan replied. “That bad?”

  “You have no idea,” Kyle said. “But he’s nice. He lets me go jogging with him sometimes. Have you seen the back of this house? It’s like a secret garden out there. Real swanky.”

  Morgan said something, but Kyle didn’t hear the man. He was too busy staring at the gorgeous god who had just walked through the front door. Thick body, dark, wavy hair to his shoulders, brown bedroom eyes, and lips that looked so kissable that Kyle’s mouth began to water.

  “Who is that?” he whispered to Morgan.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Morgan said, “That’s Nikoli.”

  Sweet Jesus. Kyle was in lust. “Please tell me he’s not taken.”

  “As far as I know, he’s single,” Morgan said. “The only mates in the castle are me, Jaycee, and Theo, so I can only assume—”

  Kyle tuned out the rest of Morgan’s words. All he’d heard was that Nikoli was single. That was all Kyle needed to know.

  He’d started toward Nikoli when he noticed Nazaryth entering through the front door. Kyle gave a low growl and spun on his heels, heading in the opposite direction. Nazaryth had been the one who’d threatened Kyle, and Kyle wasn’t feeling too friendly toward the jerk. He was also the one who had stuck Kyle at Zeus’s.

  “Where’re you goin’?” Morgan called after him.

  Kyle spun, ready to tell Morgan about Nazaryth. Morgan had been unconscious when Nazaryth had threatened Kyle. His best friend didn’t know what had been said. Instead of Morgan right behind him, it was Nikoli. Kyle yelped as he was pushed against t
he wall, trapped between the man’s arms.

  “Nikoli!” Nazaryth barked the man’s name. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  Kyle shook like crazy as Nikoli nuzzled his neck, sniffing along his skin. The man was all up in his personal space, and Kyle was about to flip the hell out. “Get off me!”

  Zeus and Renato came barreling down the hallway. Kyle stared at Zeus, begging with his eyes for help. Nikoli was hot, but his aggressiveness scared the crap out of Kyle.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Zeus wasn’t a small man. The guy’s muscles had muscles, and he had to be close to seven feet tall. He was dark-skinned, bald, and intimidating as hell. Kyle hoped that was enough to scare Nikoli away.

  The gray wolf alpha snatched Kyle from between Nikoli and the wall. He shoved Kyle behind him, and Kyle stayed put. He was an impala shifter for Christ’s sake. He didn’t do confrontations, and he didn’t fight.

  “Give me back my zaterio, or I’ll gut you where you stand,” Nikoli said in a low and lethal voice. He reached for a blade that had been sheathed at his belt. The guy meant business.

  “Oh crap,” Kyle murmured to himself as all eyes turned to him. He’d heard that word at Morgan’s the night his apartment had been invaded. Zaterio meant mate. This couldn’t be happening. Kyle was already dealing with his own set of problems. He didn’t need a dominant male to…just…crap.

  Zeus turned and glanced at Kyle. His deep brown eyes softened as he asked, “Do you feel the pull?”

  Kyle had, but he’d been too frightened to realize what the feeling in his chest had been. He wanted to haul ass out of the house, but a bigger part of him wanted to go to Nikoli.

  So not happening.

  He shrugged as he looked around at the men staring at him. “Maaaybe. But then again, it could be heartburn.”

  “Kyle?” Morgan’s brows were slightly raised. “Is Nikoli your mate?”

  “I just…he might…” Kyle spun around and raced down the hallway, heading right for Jasper’s bedroom. He rushed in and slammed the door, slumping against the wood as his heart beat so fast it felt as if it would burst from his chest at any second.

  “Well, okay then,” Jasper said as he turned to gaze at Kyle. “Just come right on in.”

  “I’m so screwed,” Kyle said to the redheaded wolf shifter. His body shook as his mouth went bone-dry. This could not be happening.

  Jasper tossed aside the shirt he’d had in his hand. “Please don’t tell me you tried to put the moves on someone’s mate. Not sure I can get you out of that one. Just tell me who it is so I know whose name to put on your headstone. Here lies Kyle, the man dumb enough to screw around with such and such’s mate.”

  “It’s not like that.” Kyle was tempted to look out the door, but he didn’t want to find Nikoli on the other side. The man’s presence had been intimidating, and it felt as if all the air in the room had been sucked out when his mate had had him trapped against the wall.

  “Then how are you screwed?” Jasper asked. A smile curled the sides of his mouth. “Are you talking about screwed in a good way? ’Cause I can get with that.”

  “Will you stop?” Kyle ran his hand over his face and noticed just how badly it shook. “I’m not talking about any of that. Some of the winged beasts just showed up for a meeting with Zeus.”

  Jasper chuckled. “Hon, how many times do I have to tell you that Zeus isn’t going to pour milk over you and eat you for breakfast? He’s a nice guy, Kyle.”

  “Not Zeus.” Kyle ground his teeth. “It’s the winged beasts. One of them is my mate.”

  Jasper’s red brows shot up. “Now that’s an interesting plot twist. Tell me again why you’re running.”

  Kyle sucked in a shaky breath and shook his head. “It’s complicated.”

  “It always is,” Jasper said with a cluck of his tongue. “When I found out that Zeus was my mate, I was in a relationship with one of my pack members. Talk about walking on broken glass.”

  “But I’m not in a relationship with anyone.”

  “Is your mate?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  Jasper threw his hands up. “Then what’s the dealio?”

  “Long story.” And Kyle wasn’t about to share his sordid past. All he knew was that he couldn’t let Nikoli anywhere near him. He’d buy a plane ticket and move to Egypt if he had to. Nikoli was not claiming him. End of story.

  Why do you run from me, little one? Did you think I would hurt you?

  Kyle nearly shouted when he heard Nikoli’s voice in his mind. He slammed his palms against his temples and shook his head. His best friend had lived with voices in his head for two decades. Maybe Morgan had gotten his craziness all over Kyle.

  “I heard about that,” Jasper said, staring at Kyle with concern. “Winged beasts can talk to their mates telepathically. From the way you look, he’s talking to you, isn’t he?”

  It was a relief, and also terrifying, to know it was Nikoli talking to him through some kind of link rather than the fact that Kyle was going insane. He’d prefer going insane over this. He didn’t want to be linked to the winged beast. Kyle didn’t want any part of this. He was done with dominant males, and Nikoli looked to be as dominant as they came. No, Kyle wasn’t going to allow that man anywhere near him.

  “I can’t do this, Jasper. I just can’t.” Kyle swung around and yanked the door open. He raced toward the kitchen and ran out the back door, heading straight for the woods.

  Morgan knew his friend was running from a past he never spoke of, but damn. Kyle had hauled ass as if the devil himself had been on the guy’s heels. “You, uh….gonna go after him?”

  Nikoli cast a glance down the hallway. “I’ll give him some time to come to terms with such shocking news.”

  Yeah, that was exactly what Kyle didn’t need. Morgan knew his friend like the back of his hand. If Nikoli didn’t go after the impala shifter, Kyle would sneak out a window or door to escape. He’d seen Kyle do that before when trying to get away from a clingy man.

  “Buddy, I have news for you. If you leave Kyle to his own devices, you may never see him again.”

  Nikoli cursed as he headed down the hallway. Morgan felt sorry for the guy. So far, he seemed like a decent enough man. But being mated to Kyle? He would have his hands full.

  Nikoli followed his mate’s scent to Jasper’s bedroom. He knocked, and Jasper answered. “The bus left the station about two minutes ago.”

  “What?” He always knew Jasper didn’t have all his marbles, but the guy didn’t make a lick of sense. “What bus?”

  Jasper rolled his eyes. “Kyle took off like a bat out of hell. You might want to go after him before he gets too far.”

  Turning on his heel, Nikoli followed his scent once again. This time it led him to the kitchen. When he reached the back door, his heart migrated to his throat.

  Please tell me you weren’t foolish enough to go outside. He knew his mate wouldn’t answer him. Kyle hadn’t the first time. Cursing up a storm, Nikoli yanked the door open and headed into the backyard.

  It isn’t safe for you to be out here alone. Nikoli sniffed the air and walked toward the scent. After ten minutes and still no Kyle, Nikoli took to the air, flying over the trees, scanning the ground below for his little impala.

  Minutes later, he spotted Kyle toward the edge of the woods. His cheeks were flushed, and he had some twigs sticking in his platinum-blond hair. What did the guy do, fall?

  Landing on his feet, Nikoli blocked Kyle’s path. “It isn’t safe for you out here.”

  Kyle came to an abrupt stop, seeming startled by his wide eyes and parted lips. “I heard you the first time when you talked in my head.” Kyle stabbed a finger at his temple. “You need to stop doing that. You’re freaking me out.”

  Nikoli’s heart plummeted when he reached for the twigs in Kyle’s hair, only to have the impala shifter jerk back. There was definitely fear in his crystal-blue eyes. Nikoli didn’t think he’d scared
Kyle that badly back at the house.

  “Are you afraid of me?” The thought tore at Nikoli’s heart. After two thousand years, he’d found his chosen one and the shifter wanted nothing to do with him. The guy was even frightened of him.

  “It’s not you,” Kyle said as he brushed a hand over his hair, dislodging the bits of twigs and leaves.

  When Kyle didn’t elaborate any further, Nikoli felt his patience slipping. He’d done nothing wrong to warrant such fear. Okay, so maybe he’d gotten a little aggressive back at the house, but he hadn’t hurt his mate. Nikoli was sure of that. “Then what is it? Because I’m having a hard time trying to figure out why you’re rejecting our mating.”

  “What?” Kyle fisted his hands and squared his shoulders. “Am I supposed to fall to my knees and thank fate that we found each other?”

  Nikoli couldn’t understand Kyle’s hostility. It made absolutely no sense. “What’s really going on?” It was very rare that any preternatural being turned down their mate. Very rare. Like one in a hundred million. There had to be another reason, and Nikoli was determined to get to the bottom of things.

  “Just because we’re mates doesn’t mean I’m going to spill my guts to you, buddy.” Kyle tried to move around him, but Nikoli wasn’t having it. He stepped to the side, refusing to let Kyle walk away from him. As far as looks, Kyle was simply stunning. He had the lightest blue eyes Nikoli had ever seen. His hair was stylishly cut, and his mate was not only short but slim.

  Kyle’s attitude? That needed some definite work. “You can at least explain to me why you’re running away.”

  Sucking in his bottom lip, Kyle glanced around. “I don’t stay in one place for too long, and it’s time I moved on.”

  “Do you honestly think I’m going to let you walk away from me?”

  Kyle’s eyes rounded as he took a step back. Nikoli was completely confused. He noticed his mate slightly shaking. “W-why did you say it like that?”

  Puzzle pieces began to snap together. Kyle’s fear, his determination to get away, his reaction to what Nikoli had just said. He cocked his head to the side and studied Kyle. “Are you running from someone?”