As a third son of an Earl, Mr. Michael Hastings hasn’t a title or lands. Since a title comes with responsibilities, Michael needs only money to leave the prying eyes behind and live a quiet life—with another man. Country recluse Viscount Lord Atherton is the bearer of a family curse. He must wed and conceive an heir before his birthday, or live with the painful physical changes that turn him from man to wolf, several times a month. But Atherton has another dangerous secret. His attraction to men could place him at the end of the hangman’s noose for sodomy. Atherton pays Hastings to help him find a wife by Christmas. Yet the more time Atherton spends with Hastings, the more he wants to know. And when Hastings displays a lust for sex play that rivals his own, can Atherton trust Hastings enough to share the truth behind his quest? As Atherton loses his heart where he least expects it, he wonders if he can fulfill his destiny, or face a lifetime of pain from the curse?