From the remote, wild corners of Wolf, Wyoming, to the even wilder streets of Washington, DC, something strange is going on with the O'Connell family. Be it the new ex-lawyer in town or the folks that go bump in the night, it seems like everyone wants to know exactly what that thing is -- and how they can get their own piece of the beastly O'Connell bloodline. Dark forces hide in dark corners, and nothing attracts them more than dark secrets.<br><br>Contains the stories:<br><br><strong>Wolf, WY</strong>: Still nursing wounds left by a cheating ex, Wolf, Wyoming seems like the perfect place for Randy to start over. When a misunderstanding brings Randy face to face with his hot new neighbor and his neighbor's son, he's not sure what to make of either of them. Things are not what they appear in Wolf, and the closer Randy gets, the stranger the O'Connell family seems.<br><br><strong>Wolf, en Garde</strong>: Sick of watching his father love the man Lyle wanted, he accepts an offer to leave Wolf, WY. Free to experience life on his own terms, Lyle comes across a seductive, fascinating stranger in Washington, DC. It doesn't take Lyle long to realize Arius is dangerous, though, and when Lyle runs across a secret in Arius' lair, he has no choice but to flee to the only safe place he knows -- home.<br><br><strong>Wolf, in League</strong>: After months of silence from the O'Connell family, and suspicious of what took place in DC, the Committee recruits one of their new residents, Dr. Matthew Dietrich, to infiltrate the family. Matthew is a loner and has no idea why they'd want him, especially with his skepticism over shifters. That all changes when he meets his new partner in the Committee's scheme, Dr. Gavin Strauss.

Bryson Merritt may have started life as a broken baby in a basket, but he got lucky with an extraordinary set of circumstances that brought him his adoptive parents. Rich, supportive, and kind, they've given Bryson everything he's ever needed in order to deal with his ongoing recovery issues. If only they could give him some luck when it comes to picking out the right kind of guy.<br><br>When Bryson meets Duke at a horse auction, all he can think about is getting Duke's sweaty hands all over his body. Until he meets Beau -- the beautiful dark horse in Duke's care, who shares Bryson's mobility and pain issues -- and realises exactly where Beau's final destination is. Enraged by what he sees as an unfair, undeserving, and cruel punishment, Bryson decides to buy Beau, problems or not, experience or no, and walks away without looking back.<br><br>However, once again forces have gathered to help Bryson out, and Bryson finds himself working alongside Duke for the sake of Beau. Bryson's attraction is rekindled, but now Duke isn't interested at all. Worse still, it looks like a possible relationship with Duke isn't the only thing that is going to end in tragedy.

Living in downtown Toronto can be expensive and frustrating, but Leo is willing to deal with the traffic and working the overtime in order to experience everything else the city has to offer. Or would be, if he had any energy left to do so. The fact that his upstairs neighbour is making more noise that a herd of elephants isn't helping things either. Tired, irritated, and on the verge of losing his patience, Leo knows that things have got to change. Gordy is one of the most attractive young men that Leo has ever met, and Leo has no doubt in his mind that Gordy has been using those good looks to get whatever he wants for a very long time. So when Gordy starts turning on the charm, Leo can't help but wonder if it's actual interest or merely appeasement. Together they're going to try and figure out just what can be done with Gordy's new roommate -- an energetic, excitable, and very noisy young goat whose visit comes with a deathbed promise and a tight family bond. What Leo doesn't realise is that she also comes with an ability to make him understand more about himself than he could have ever imagined he needed to learn.

Malcolm didn’t have a lot going for him. He wasn’t one of the blessed, or one of the beautiful. He didn’t have many talents. He was, however, a damn good chef. He worked hard and he insisted on perfection -- not just from himself but also from everyone else in his kitchen. And if that made others miserable, that was just too damn bad. If one couldn’t live up to expectations then one didn’t belong at Burgeon Manor. Darien on the other hand, was everything Malcolm envied, hated, and secretly fantasized over. Lean, slim, with a smile that could melt ice and enough charm to woo demons, Darien surprised Malcolm by showing not only interest but also attraction. Which only meant one thing as far as Malcolm was concerned: Darien had to be playing some kind of game. There was no way that a rock god like Darien Flint could have honest feelings for someone like him. Yet the more Darien tries to know him, the more Malcolm feels himself being drawn into the lie.

Doren was born with a powerful gift -- a gift he's managed to use to put him well on his way to becoming a star. But there is more to that gift than just musical talent, and as careful as Doren is to hide that fact, there are some who know of the power behind the sound, and all the ways they could abuse it. August's goal in life is simple: make an impact in the music industry. An opportunity to work as the personal assistant to Doren seems to be exactly the kind of break he needs to accomplish that goal. But all too often in life, simple becomes just another complication, especially when there are people whose goal is even simpler: destroy and dominate.

Be it unrequited fascination with his straight best friend or impossible fantasies of rekindled interest with his heartbreaking ex, Mason has no clue why the perfect connection seems to keep slipping through his fingers. When another lonely holiday seems like too much weight to shoulder, Mason gives up on romance and seeks out the next best thing -- rented company. Jack is everything a person could want in an escort: willing, hot, and built like an angel. Mason can't resist. After all, who wouldn't be interested in a guy who loves kid's movies, is a self-professed Peter Pan, and has no problem throwing caution to the wind at a moment's notice. But then interest quickly blooms into a whole new emotion -- an emotion that Mason knows far too well, especially when Jack has no interest in returning it, preferring to keep his heart safely tucked away in Neverland.

Thom Baron has been struggling with social anxiety his entire life. He's taken the medications, gone to the therapists, followed the programs, and concluded his best life is a solitary one. When he comes across a dog in obvious need at his local market, it rekindles the desire to have some company around. It may come with a dishevelled coat, a notched ear, and a refusal to respond to anything but its given name "Ugly," but it could still be a friend. However, Thom's new fur buddy has no such need to keep to itself and immediately befriends the man Thom has secretly coveted since he moved in -- Justin, Thom's gorgeous, bright-eyed neighbour. No matter how Thom tries to evade the man, the dog keeps drawing them back into each other's lives, and it doesn't take Thom long to recognize it's simply pursuing the demands of Thom's own heart. With the dog giving him the courage to try, Thom reaches out to return the love being offered. Until a stranger shows up insisting the dog is his and demanding its immediate return ... a loss Thom knows will take all of his efforts and newfound confidence with it.

After one of his fans committed suicide, John lost everything: lover, confidence, drive. When he’s given a chance to get back on his feet, he’s happy to take it -- even if it's just writing an actor's biography. It might not be romance, or even fiction, but it's something, and there are worse people to work for than the charming, successful Parker Chase. That doesn't mean working for Parker is easy, however. A staunch supporter of living for the moment, Parker goes against everything John believes in. He feels out of place in every moment of Parker's Hollywood life, stuck in a game of wits that at times seems almost contrived.

Sometimes Fate gets tired of being ignored. And some nights, nights with a little more magic than the rest, Fate will decide something needs to be done. Enter Drualus, Senior Correspondent for the Collective Assembly of Christmas Fae, working with the Night Before Reach Out Program. He has a few short hours to change Scott Misener's outlook on life, love, and understanding. Lucky for Scott, Dru knows the perfect way to make that happen. Following the path of a tried and true trope, Dru is about to take Scott on an erotic journey that will remind him how simply beautiful life once was, and how perfectly beautiful it can be again.

At thirty-six, Ian feels done with the world. When a night at a bar goes as poorly as expected, he wants only to return home to be miserable in peace. Instead, he encounters Jordan. Hot, young, and interested, Jordan is everything Ian's ever wanted and nothing he believes himself capable of actually obtaining. Jordan has enough going on in his life trying to scrape together a living for himself and his autistic son. When he meets Ian, all he wants is a brief, erotic moment and nothing else. But fate throws them together again and again, and Ian finds himself determined to do whatever it takes to give their story a happy ending -- no matter what secrets Jordan's past has waiting for him.

Recently docked after a voyage abroad, Emmett wants only to find a warm bed and good food, for himself and the cabin boy he's taken into his care. Those plans are impeded, however, by an altercation in the streets -- with a man he realizes too late is England's heir to the throne, Prince Andrewe. When the encounter unexpectedly leads to a position in the royal household attending the prince, Emmett is not certain what to think. On one hand, it's a reliable income and ensures the safety of his charge. On the other, it's neither the life Emmett knows, nor an environment that he's comfortable in. Left to learn his lessons the hard way, Emmett spends his days contending with a spoiled, infuriating prince who leaves him in a constant tangle of emotions. Then he begins to hear whispers of treason and must make a choice: defend Prince Andrewe or betray him.

Chicago 1982 is a goldmine for the construction industry, and Eric and his two business partners are thriving. Once living as struggling orphans in a Catholic boys' home, they've overcome poverty and abuse to obtain success. Now living the lives they once only dreamed of, they're sure of one thing: they will never look back. Then the past returns, by way of a cheap polyester suit and a smile Eric has never forgotten, and all the dark memories come crashing back. Lucky for him, Jimmy has no idea who Eric is, or who Eric used to be.

It's been months since anyone at the Committee has had any contact from the O'Connell family or their pack members, and they are not happy. Suspicious of the activities that took place in D.C. and determined to find out what the wolves are up to, the Committee recruits one of their newest residents, Dr. Matthew Dietrich, to play the part of neighbor and infiltrate the family. Matthew has always been a keep-to-himself kind of person. Though idealistic and optimistic, he prefers to work in solitude, at night, while he researches the findings that he hopes will one day change the world. When he's approached by the executives of the Center, he has no idea why they'd choose him. And to say he is skeptical over the concept of men that can shift into wolves would be an understatement.

Owen has been struggling with addiction since he was a teenager, but it takes a DUI involving another vehicle for him to finally face his issues. The road to recovery is a rough one, and for Owen it's a journey made harder by bankruptcy, loneliness, and repressed memories. His new apartment doesn't help either. It's small, worn, and hot as hell. The only way to reach it is a tedious stretch of stairs that seems like the final insult on top of a whole pile of misery. Thankfully, the mess comes with one bright spot: intense, pretty Sebastian, who seems to have a knack for keeping his head up and finding the beauty in everything.

Three years ago, Lyle made a mistake that cost him his freedom, and almost his life. Now, sick to death of watching his father love the man that Lyle wanted, Lyle accepts an offer to leave Wolf, WY, behind and see what life in Washington, DC,. can do for him instead. When Lyle comes across a seductive, attractive stranger with a fascinating yet terrifying view of humanity, he's more than intrigued. It doesn't take Lyle long to realize that Arius isn't just playing games, though, and when Lyle runs across a secret in Arius' lair he has no choice but to flee, even knowing his actions will enrage Arius. On the run, with only a psychic's second sight and his own instinct to help him, Lyle has nowhere to go but home. The only question is, will they have him when he shows up.

For as long as Boyd can remember, he's been pushing pins into a map. Carson City, Las Vegas, Albuquerque -- all places he wants to see, for a dozen different reasons that wouldn't mean a thing to anyone else. When he finally gets a chance to purchase the '70 Plymouth Duster of his dreams, at a price that even he can manage, Boyd jumps at the opportunity. Oliver seems like just another kid with a broken dream when their paths cross in Vegas. Against Boyd's better judgment, he offers to let Oliver hitch along for the ride when Oliver confides the need to get out and get gone. But isn’t long before Boyd realizes Oliver's reasons for running are more complicated -- and more dangerous -- than Oliver let on. Boyd doesn't like people who play hardball, and he definitely doesn't like people messing with a man who's managed to light a fuse that Boyd forgot he had.

In 1974, Gerry Faun gets the break of his life -- an opportunity to meet gorgeous, openly bisexual, glam-rock idol Mark Devon. Mark's world is new, exciting, and Gerry finally gets to explore the side of his sexuality he's kept hidden. But the press is everywhere, and when Gerry's father gets wind of what's going on behind his back, Gerry ends up on the street. Mark offers to let Gerry come along with the tour and Gerry jumps at the chance. The tour is a never-ending party -- and the start of what seems to be a perfect relationship for him and Mark. Until Mark's manager decides Gerry isn't worth the trouble he's stirring up. In 1994, Gerry is finally coming out of some tough times -- he has a job that pays the bills, a car that hasn't quite broken down, and a small rental in Jersey City. After a decade of barely getting by, if life was as good as it was going to get, Gerry figures he'll manage just fine. It would be easier if he wasn't still haunted by the man the media won't let him forget, the man who stole his heart and then broke it ... the man who’s shown up pleading for a second chance.

Dustin gave up on being worthy of anyone's affections a long time ago, drowning his problems in substance abuse and meaningless encounters. He has learned it's better to avoid love altogether than risk the inevitable moment when it all comes crashing down. Nicolae has neither eyesight nor excess, but he does have a wealth of family and intuition. He is nothing Dustin would have anticipated in a potential lover, but the more Dustin discovers, the more he finds himself willing to accept the risk ... even if his conscience and the people in his life keep warning him away.

There's nothing like a fresh start, and for Randy, still nursing wounds left by a cheating ex and harboring a deep mistrust for all things corporate, Wolf, Wyoming seems like the perfect place to start over. Secluded, quiet, and self-sufficient, Wolf is bound to not only inspire, but to bring Randy the peace he needs. The view's not bad, either. Vaughn O'Connell and his family are Randy's only neighbors for miles, and while Randy knows it's somewhat unlikely that a man with three kids is gay, it doesn't hurt to look. When a misunderstanding brings Randy face to face with both Vaughn and his eighteen-year-old son, Lyle, Randy's not sure what to feel about either of them. But things are not what they appear in Wolf, and the closer Randy gets, the stranger the O'Connell family seems.