Bearly Inked: An M/M Mpreg Shifter Romance

by Lorelei M. Hart

Sometimes losing a bet has you winning everything.

After a shitastick day at work, I call my bestie for an omega night out. Far too many shots in, I make a bet sober me would never agree to. One missed bulls-eye, and my fate is sealed. The wager? Loser gets a tattoo of the winner’s choice.

I wake up the next morning with a headache the size of a small planet and video reminder of my bad decisions. Could I back out? Absolutely. I’d hear about it for the next decade. Better to suck it up and get some ink. It’s not like he’ll pick a clown tattoo on my forehead. Right?

Worse, he chooses a mystery tattoo from their capsule machine.

Please don’t let it be something boring.

Please don’t let it be ugly.

Please don’t let it change my life.

Too late.

Bearly Inked is the first book in the shared world Love Sync Ink, brought to you by some of your favorite mpreg authors. Bearly Inked is an M/M preg shifter romance featuring an alpha bear shifter who has given up on finding his mate, an omega human who has one too many drinks and loses a bet that will change his life, the mystery tattoo that leads the way to true love, fated mates, an adorable baby, and a guaranteed happy ever after. If you love your omegas strong and your alphas hawt, download your copy today. Love Sync Ink stories is a collection of standalone romances, but why stop at one?

Genres: Paranormal, Omegaverse, M M Romance, Paranormal Romance, LGBT, Romance, Shapeshifters

165 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 28, 2026

About the author

Lorelei M. Hart is the cowriting team of USA Today Bestselling Authors Kate Richards and Ever Coming. Friends for years, the duo decided to come together and write one of their favorite guilty pleasures: Mpreg.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sothea & Altan
Rating: 3.7⭐

- Bear Shifter/Human
- Tattoo Artist
- Fated Mates
- Mystery Tattoo
- Omegaverse
- MPREG

This was a quick and sweet story where a drunken bet leads to a tattoo and their fated mate.

In fated mate stories, the couples tend to move quickly. Here, Altan has a work trip to go to right after they meet so they get to spend time getting to know each other over the phone before they are together again. Their restaurant dates were a nice touch here as well.

Content Warnings (may contain spoilers):
- Graphic sexual content between consenting adults
- Explicit language
- Consensual spanking

Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: No
Cheat: No
OM/OW Drama: No
Ages: Not given

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story to read. Sothea and Altan were so cute together. I appreciated that, even though Altan was human, he still felt the mate pull and that they got their happily ever after.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Altan goes to the tattoo parlor with his best friend Brent to get the tattoo for the bet he lost, the tattoo that comes out of the machine is an adorable bear. Altan loves the tattoo, but there’s a problem. That tattoo is meant for Solthea’s mate. Solthea is a bear shifter, and Altan is human. Solthea is ready to refuse the tattoo to Altan until he gets a scent of him, then all reservations are off, and Solthea happily inks the tattoo onto his mate’s chest. Their chemistry is off the charts, and a long distance romance is in effect while Altan is on a business trip, then things heat up on a more personal level once he is home. Both have strong feelings, but Solthea refuses to move further until Altan knows about, and accepts his bear. Once that hurdle is crossed, mating occurs and the next steps inevitably follow, with a baby on the way for the happy couple, heading for a HEA.

These short, sweet tales are always an enjoyable read with cute characters, the inevitable mating and baby on the way. Even though settings are different and pairings might not be the same species (shifter-shufter, shifter-human), the fated mates find each other and are on the road to Happy Ever After. Delightful low angst reads, completed in an hour or two, leaving the reader with a smile on their face and satisfaction with a story well told, with a happy ending. Unless you want darkness and drama, this series could be for you.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long before he has even met his fated mate, long before he realises what he has created, Sothea has created a tattoo for them and them alone. it’s in his deigns portfolio but he refuses to let any customer choose it. As he tell’s his boss, and sister-in-law, he will know when the right person has arrived. She is adamant however that it goes into their machine of random flashes.

Altan is at the tattoo shop having lost a drunken bet with his best friend. It is perhaps no surprise that the flash comes out of the machine for him. The bigger surprise is that he is a human omega, Sothea is an Alpha bear. His bear knows immediately that Altan is their mate but how is a human going to react to knowing about shifters and how will he believe in fated mates?

It possibly won’t be as challenging as Sothea fears for Altan is having inexplicable feelings drawing him closer at every step. He adores the tattoo and feels that there is more to it than simply ink on his skin. Can they find their way, truly, to one another’s hearts and overcome some of their trepidations about what might lie ahead?

This series explores the wonder of fated mates, the pairings of humans and shifters and the importance, the wonder, the power of tattoos. I love the combination, I love the concept and I love this story. I can’t wait to share in more of the Inked romances.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole Deanne Veracruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these multi-author linked books about tattoos and fated mates. Sothea is a partial owner of a tattoo shop along with his brother and sister-in-law. He designed a tattoo of his bear for his mate, whom he had yet to meet. Several clients had tried to get him to tattoo the image on them, but he refused. His sister-in-law takes it upon herself to put it into a small plastic capsule that goes into the toy machines for when somebody picks a random tattoo in the hopes that fate will send his mate. Altan is so fed up with his job when he finds out he's going to have to go on a two-week work trip. He goes out with his best friend, has too much to drink, and ends up making a bet over a game of darts. And because he lost, he now has to get a tattoo of his best friend's choice. It turns out him losing was actually a win.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some customers wanted a tattoo that Sothea had drawn but he wouldn’t use it was for his mate only so Greta his sister in law decides to put it in a capsule in the machine. Altan having a bad day he was to he had to go to a convention for for his job so he calls his best friend since forever Brent to watch his cat and then go out drinking. During that time they had made a bet if he lost he would get a tattoo which the drunk Altan lost brilliantly so Brent dragged him to the tattoo shop to get it. Altan decides to do the machine and do whatever it chooses for him, Greta wakes up Sothea because Altan got Sothea’s bear tattoo. Gives him the tattoo but tells Sothea he wouldn’t be back for two weeks but they started texting then video calling Altan didn’t understand why he felt like he did when apart. Altan loves Sothea’s bear.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one in the Love Sync Ink multi author series and features a drunken bet bringing our two MCs together as the omega’s forfeiture is a supposedly random tattoo.

I was loving this book; somehow I was sucked in from the first page by Altan’s (the omega) job woes as well as Sothea’s, an alpha bear shifter, yearning for a mate and refused to put it down. When I got to the spanking scene however, I kinda lost interest. I finished it but I ended up skimming the rest which was a shame because it had been a really good book up until that point but I just couldn’t get back into it. I realize an author can’t please every reader all the time and I know some really enjoy it so I’ll just wait and check out the next one. For this one, 4 stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Altan, who is a human omega and makes a bit with his best friend that the loser has to have a tattoo. Little did he know by partaking in this bet, he was to change his future by meeting his fated mate. Sothea is an alpha bear shifter who is ready to find his mate, and when he puts a picture of the tattoo that he has chosen for his mate, he is surprised when his sister-in-law call him into work to do his tattoo on an omega. it was great to read how these two grew together in their relationship and go onto to have their own little baby. There was a happily ever after for them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Bearly Inked is an M/M preg shifter romance featuring an alpha bear shifter who has given up on finding his mate, an omega human who has one too many drinks and loses a bet that will change his life, the mystery tattoo that leads the way to true love, fated mates, an adorable baby, and a guaranteed happy ever after.'

The characters drove the storyline and they were oh so very appealing and likeable and perfectly steamy together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was solidly drawn and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amy Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! What starts out as a bet between friends during a night out turns into everything for Altan. Sothea is a bear shifter and when his sister in law and boss convinces him to put his drawing of a bear into the machine for people to get as a tattoo, he is totally against it. After all, he only ever intended for his fated mate to get that design. Luckily, Altan turns out to be the mate fate has chosen for him and I love how their tale unfolds. As always, the two get their happily ever after and I love how their story ends.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG- Amazing! Loved Sothea & Altan, and Bunny-Foo-Foo (hilarious).🤣 This story tugged at the hearts strings and had me swooning at the connection between these two. Greta and Brent were perfection in their - not so subtle - pushing, and the rest if the cast were no slouches. The connection between Sothea and Altan was detailed and I could practically feel the tenderness and desire. My only criticism of this story is it was too short. I want more!!.

I was gifted a copy of this book and voluntarily provided this review. Happy Reading Y'all 📚

[Shelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tattoo to Forever

The concept of this series is so fun. It's a game of chance as to what stencil comes out of the pile. With certain ones, a mate could be attached. Altan is a sweet human that gets one of the "bubbles" that comes with a mate. Sothea, alpha bear shifter, must convince the human he is a shifter and they are mates. All this after the tattoo is in place. Such a sweet story that also includes a wonderful family, BFF and a rather spoiled princess of a cat, Bunny Foo Foo.

[Leonie Duncan]

Fate works in wonderful ways. Alton knows there is something very special about the Alpha who does his tattoo. Something about the tattoo calls to him. Sothea knows instantly that Alton is his fated mate but there's a catch. They get a chance to get to know each other over the phone initially. Sothea is worried Alton won't like his surprise. It's a sweet story with really great characters, both the primary ones and the secondary ones. I really enjoyed it. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fun! Altan and his bestie, Brent are human omegas. After a fun drunken night out, and a lost bet, Altan must get a tattoo. Sothea, bear shifter tattoo artist, had a sweet story about his tattoo design and fate with help from Sothea's sister in law, Greta takes a hand in the rest of their lives. Revealing and accepting secrets is always a challenge, great courtship, lots of sweetness. Bunny Foo Foo, the cat, is a hoot! Great cover art, well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[PugLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Altan gets his tattoo design from a gum ball machine. He's unaware that it's meant for Sothea's mate and will be a one of a kind. Sothea was angry to be called in on his day off, until he recognizes Altan as his mate. Altan is away on a business trip for two weeks. He texts and talks to Sothea the whole time. By the time Altan comes home their relationship is well on its way. The only thing stopping it is Altan's reaction to Sothea being a bear shifter.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was truly a different story for me and I enjoyed it, but not sure I'd read more of this type. I'm not huge into pregnancy stories, and this one has the man, an omega, bearing the child, which is unique. I did love the MM aspect and them being fated mates. And I loved the idea of fate being what brought them together. And for being an alpha, Sothea was truly a teddy bear and just the most protective and caring man.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patti Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Great Story to Read!! Alton loses a bet and has to get a tattoo, he puts a coins in the machine and gets a bear. Sothea is upset to be called down on his day off to have to do a tattoo, when he finds out it is for his fated mate his tune changes. Alton is a human omega and does not know that shifters exist. Sothea is an alpha bear shifter and he has to explain shifters to Alton and also fated mates. How will Alton react to Sothea being a Bear???.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cynthia Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

After losing a drunken bet with his best friend, Altan, a human, is getting a tattoo. To top it off, he's getting a mystery tattoo from a capsule machine. Once he sees the tattoo he loves it. Sothea, a bear shifter, gets a call to tell him the tattoo he drew for his mate someone got out of the machine. He goes to tell whoever got it that they'd have to get another one, but when he gets there, he realizes that his mate is the one who got it. Now all he has to do is get his mate to accept him and his bear. I really enjoyed this book.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how Altan partying with his best friend leads to him getting a tattoo. It was a very special one that belonged to Sothea that he had made for his mate. Sothea recognized Altan as his mate and Altan is drawn to him as well. I enjoyed how their courtship went as well as their mating. I really liked the references to Bunny Foo-Foo.

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet, fated mates

Atlan is so frustrated with a work situation, he goes out for fun with his bestie.
A drunken bet leads to a tattoo and his unknown fated mate.
Southea is tired of waiting for his fated mate, his tattoo to claim him sitting uselessly.
Thankfully his sister in law takes matters into her own hands and he gets his mate.
Sweet, steamy, found family aspect, and an adorably spoiled kitty, Bunny Foo Foo.

[Stephanie W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lose a bet, choose a tattoo. Seems simple enough. Only that particular tattoo was meant for the mate of the artist who created it.
Sothea is called in to place the bear tattoo on Alton. He went from being peeved for coming in on his day off to changing his tune after meeting his mate.

Really good story!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! Fantabulous!!

Well written story and well developed characters.
Do you believe in shifters and fated mates? Alton had never heard of them in real life. Just in books that he liked to read.
Sothea is a tattoo artist. He has one design that he refuses to share. But his sister-in-law goaded him about it!
Read what happens next!!!

[Simera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altan loses a drunk dart game to his bestie and he has to get a tattoo.
Sothea is a bear shifter and a tattoo artist and his sister-in-law takes one of his designs and places it into a machine of chance.
Altan just happens to get his design and from there sparks fly.
This is a really sweet read.
Bear shifter, fated mates, awesome side characters and a HEA.

[Pixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet and spicy shifter mpreg book was nice and fluffy, just the way I like my mpreg books. Altan, the human omega, is feisty and fun. Sothea, the alpha bear shifter, is protective and caring. Lorelei M Hart is one of my preferred mpreg writers.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved

I loved Sothea and Altan's story. I liked that a drunken bet led Sothea's mate to him. It was sweet how they got to know each other while Altan was on a business trip. I liked their restaurant dates and wanting to try something new each time.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I absolutely loved this story. Fated mates and tattoos that were meant to be. I’m really enjoying this series. These two were so cute together and I can’t wait to read the next story.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. The whole tattoo idea was so original, so much fun. And the characters were awesome. I’m always a fool for the fated mates trope. And these two were definitely meant for one another. I giggled and swooned. Even awwwwed a few times. But absolutely loved this.

[Karen Sorg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sothea is a very talented tattoo artist looking for his mate. Altan is looking for a mate. Who knew that getting drunk and making a stupid bet would make you fall in love.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bearly Inked is part of the multi-author Love Sync Ink series and can be read as a standalone. This was a wonderful fated mates story about Sothea and Altan. I have enjoyed the books so far in this series and am so excited to read more of these wonderful characters.

[Coral Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick, fated mates read. Altan loses a bet and his best friend decides on a tattoo from a capsule. Sothea is not happy with his design ending up in the capsule, until he scents Altan as his mate. Now to only convince him they are mated and he is a bear shifter.