Official Description: After a hard year, Jessie decides to take a vacation to visit his friend. On the way, he has an accident and cannot remember anything. Xander is a wolf shifter and saves Jessie’s life, only to realize he is Xander’s mate. Xander has been in the closet his whole life. Coming out may be harder than ever, because not only does he have to tell everyone he is gay, but he has to tell his mate he is a wolf part time. Original Prompt: Dear Author, One of my favorite things is marking your lover. Is this mark simply a product of the heat of the moment or is he making sure his rival knows he's won his love's heart—and body? Photo Description: A young man kneels in front of another man's smooth, perfect torso. He pushes white briefs down with his wrists to cup the round ass of the body he is worshiping. Eyes closed, he sucks a mark onto a six-pack of alabaster skin. The other man's face is out of frame but one well-tended hand caresses the dark man's head. This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Hot Summer Days" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story. Read the story here or find it in Don't Read in the Closet, Volume 4. \\\\\\\\\\ Genre: shape-shifter Tags: gay m/m, wolf shifter, coming out, first time, marking, mating Word Count: 10,688

Leading The Shenandoah pack consumes most of Thomas Collowell's time. The Alpha's job is never done. That had never been more true than when a killer targeting shifters strikes too close to home. He doesn't have time to deal with a mate, especially a human. There is nothing Camdon Williams wouldn't do for his best friend, which is why he was the best man in Jessie's joining ceremony. While in Skyline Village, he gets more than he bargained for, including a strange attraction to the Sheriff. When Camdon and Thomas are forced to work together to stop the killer, Camdon's eyes are opened to a world he wouldn't have believed existed. They both learn that there is no such thing as perfect timing. Sometimes, it's about taking a chance... before it's too late.