Since River has been old enough to ask, his father has brain-washed into believing that he's unworthy of any sort of love. Especially from his long-awaited, fated mate. He has no future, just an awaited rejection and a continued life of abuse. All that gets him through his bruised life is when he allows his mind to wander to his other half. Even with thought of rejection, River holds nothing more dear than the dream of one day meeting his mate. Little does River know that one day he is going to be sold off into slavery with only that single thread of hope to hold him together. #17 in Werewolf #36 in Romance #13 in LGBT #8 in boyxboy Contemporary Reads Awards- 8/10/16 Brigades Awards- 11/10/16

Haunted. Terrified. Alone. Those three words seem to be the only emotions that seventeen year old Gabriel Adams knows how to feel. At the age of thirteen, when other boys were chasing after pretty girls and playing in the dirt, Gabriel had been kidnapped and molested. Now, several years later, Gabriel still can't return to the normal life he'd lived before the Incident. He's terrified of the dark, and even the daytime gives him anxiety attacks. Gabriel hates being touched. A simple brush against him will set him off into spasms while panic quickly takes over his mind. It seems as if nothing will relieve Gabriel from the constricting, painful claws of the man who'd done him harm, and Gabriel is becoming desperate. That's when Evan Ricci steps in. Evan, a stubborn yet surprisingly selfless teenager, moves to the small, quiet town of Clydesdale Heights. When Evan sees a small, awkward blond haired boy carrying pop boxes across the street while he's bringing moving boxes into the new house, he decides to help him. Things don't go exactly as planned, though, and their relationship begins with a rather rough start. The two eventually learn to bond, and Evan helps Gabriel learn to deal with the psychological consequences of being molested, which eventually blooms into an understanding so deep they can't imagine themselves with anyone but the other. A hint of infatuation sparks up, but not quite yet will the love blossom out like most. Their love will take time. And lots of patience and persistence, too.