His Mistress — Madison Hayes

When Promise clips her new slave's barbs, she doesn't know it will harm him. She doesn't realize the venomous barbs beneath his hackled knuckles are used not only for protecting his fold-they're an important part of the Gryffin mating ritual. Drugged at the auction block, Tranth awakens to the searing pain of his barbs being cut away. The lovely human who helps him during his recovery tempts him to the point of agony as his broken hackles pull back and his barbs try to shoot into position whenever she's near-a reaction that is pure instinct on his part. As a Gryffin male approaches climax, he's driven to stripe his mate with his barbs. But Tranth's reaction to his new owner is more than pure instinct. He's in love with the strong, beautiful human. When Promise's complicity in his disfigurement is revealed, Tranth suffers a new anguish-the anguish of betrayal. When he pulls open his slave collar and wraps it around Promise's neck, it's a weight she willingly accepts, determined to earn Tranth's forgiveness and win back his love.