Damiano Satriale is hiding a deep dark secret, one that he's had to cloak from the scent of other shifters all his life. Should anyone pick up on the vibrations of his royal bloodline, it will be the end of him. Ordered to the court of King Fain, monarch to all large cat shifters, the assignment leaves a bad taste in Dami's mouth. The last thing he ever wanted or needed was the scrutiny that will come while serving as Paladin Primero, the king's champion and most fearsome warrior knight. To top it all off, Dami is greeted by none other than his mate, someone he'd hoped never to meet. Paget Jureaux, the panther who runs King Fain's household, has been serving the monarch for nearly five years after the coup which resulted in the execution of the former king, Pasha Raab. He's made lots of acquaintances and a few friends, but he's never had any romantic entanglements. With no other gay cats around, there hasn't been much chance for Paget to fall in love. When his mate arrives in the form of the king's new paladin, he curses his fate. Not only does the man come with a vicious and cruel reputation, but a stunning face and an incredibly powerful body. Thrown together by destiny, the two realize they must avoid each other at all costs and face the biggest challenge of their lives... trying to stay alive long enough... to walk away with broken hearts.