A Prideful Mate (6 page)

“You’re right.”

“About what?”

“He is a pretty man.”

Kevin laughed. “Don’t let Talan hear you say that.” A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

40

“Where is your alpha?”

“He had a business trip to a shifter conference. Adrian refused to go after the last meeting where leaders of the Alaskan and Oregon prides tried to hit on him. He said it was best for international interests that he not attend. Personally, I think he was just bored to death but he didn’t want to tell Talan. Adrian isn’t what you call sociable. Don’t get me wrong he’s not a hermit, but he doesn’t like crowds bigger than his pack or his pride.”

“How does he have a pack and a pride?” Payce had never heard of such a thing. He’d never even had a real family and here was a guy who had two.

Kevin laughed. “Because neither of us was willing to give him up. On full moons he heads down the mountain and spends the night with his brother’s pack. It’s hard being the only wolf with a bunch of cats, but he loves Talan something fierce.” Payce nodded and tried to not feel jealous.
It must be nice to be wanted.

His nerves jumped around in his stomach like a cadre of grasshoppers as he entered the house again.

Kevin grabbed his suitcase. “Let’s get to my room and dress before we talk to Tia. No offence, but I don’t want her looking at your tender bits. Those are all mine.” Payce laughed. “I don’t want her looking at my tender bits either.” Kevin’s room was large and masculine with a luxurious bathroom attached to a bedroom bigger than Payce’s apartment.

“Wow.”

Kevin gave him a wide smile. “I hope you like your new home.”

“What do you mean?” Payce had a disturbing idea that he knew what the other man meant.

“Aren’t you moving here to live with me?”

“What would I do? I do tile, I don’t see a bunch of buildings going up around here.”

“You don’t have to work. I’ll take care of ya. It’s part of the having a mate thing.”

“I’m not going to live off of you.”

Kevin looked at him with sad eyes.

Anger surged through the jaguar, how dare his mate be disappointed in him. “I’m not your pet. You don’t get to take me home and keep me.” Sitting on the bed, Kevin buried his face in his hands.

A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

41

Damn.

Payce sat beside his mate, wrapping an arm around the forlorn body. “I didn’t mean it like that.” Why did he keep battering away at this man who wanted nothing more than to keep him safe and happy? “I do want to be your mate. I just don’t want you to think I’m going to live off of you.”

Kevin looked up. Tears filled those golden eyes, wrenching Payce’s gut into a whole nest of knots. “I don’t care if you live off of me. If you want to work, I’ll find something for you. If you don’t, that’s fine too. All I want is for you to stay with me and be my mate. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, a mate.”

He’d never been someone’s dream before, but Payce could tell from the look in Kevin’s eyes that he was everything to this wonderful man. “If I claim you, will you always be mine?”

“Even if you don’t claim me, I will always be yours.” He could see the truth in the lion’s eyes.

“Then let me claim you.”

Kevin’s smile was blinding.

A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

42

Chapter Five

Kevin couldn’t believe his luck. Just as he was certain Payce was going to tell him where to shove his mating, the temperamental jaguar decided to give in. How did he get so lucky?

Some might not think it was lucky to have a mate on the run from some unknown psycho, but Kevin had waited his entire life for a mate of his own. He wasn’t going to let little details stop him from having his mate claim him.

“How do you want me?”

Payce gave him a sexy smirk. “I thought you liked to tell me what to do.” Kevin nodded, his cock rising at the idea. “I do but this is your mating too. How do you want me?”

“Remember what you told me at my apartment?”

Kevin ran his words through his mind. He remembered everything he ever told his mate. Fuck, he was hard.

“Get on the bed,” he ordered. Not bothering to look and see if Payce obeyed, Kevin walked over to the chest by the wall. Reaching inside, he pulled out a set of handcuffs and a skein of rope.

“Hands up,” Kevin barked, pleased when Payce’s hands snapped up.

With quick efficient movements, Kevin snapped on one cuff, looped it through the headboard and cuffed Payce’s other wrist. The increase of pheromones and the pole standing at attention between his mate’s thighs, told Kevin that the jaguar was all for these games.

Except Kevin wasn’t playing, he was binding for keeps. Whatever hang-ups his lover had, it was time for him to get over them. Payce was Kevin’s and he aimed to keep him.

With quick, practiced movements, Kevin bound Payce’s ankles to the bottom posts. A low moan greeted his final loop.

“Comfortable darlin’.”

Payce nodded, panting. Kevin smiled when he saw one of Payce’s fangs peeping through his lips. His baby liked being tied down.

A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

43

With a confident stride, Kevin approached his mate. “I want you to forget about leaving me. I don’t care what you decide to do with your life, but we are not going to be apart. Now, I can’t go and join you in Seattle because I’m attached to my boys and don’t want to miss them growing, and some psycho is after you, so you’re going to stay here until that’s resolved. But you are not allowed to leave me, understand?” Payce nodded.

“Good. Now I’m going to slick myself up and enjoy that one-eyed monster you’ve got staring at me, and you’re going to be a good kitty and mark me as yours, do we have an agreement?”

“Anything.” Payce licked his lips.” Anything you want, mate.” For the first time Payce admitted they were mates.

Relief rushed through Kevin, he’d worried that Payce wouldn’t agree to their mating.

Grabbing the tube he kept in his side table, Kevin spread the lube liberally on his fingers. Propping one foot between Payce’s bound ones, he lifted his ass and pressed his fingers inside giving Payce a show. Kevin let his moans fill the air as he loosened up his tight hole. It had been years since he’d let anyone inside him. He’d need lots of lube.

“Please,” Payce begged. “Fuck me.”

“I think you’ve got that wrong, darlin’. You’re going to fuck me.” Payce gave a broken laugh. “I might be inside you but we both know who’s in charge.”

“I’m glad you admit that.”

Seeing the desperate look on Payce’s face, Kevin crawled over his lover’s body. He positioned his hole right over his mate’s rigid staff. Taking a calming breath, he slowly lowered himself over Payce’s cock, relaxing his body as he sank down, accepting his mate.

“Whatever you do, don’t move,” Payce warned.

“Why not?”

“Because this will be the shortest mating in history if you wiggle on my cock.” Kevin laughed.

“Don’t do that either.” Payce sucked in his breath and closed his eyes.

Kevin thought he heard Payce muttering numbers. Leaning forward, he brushed his neck against Payce’s soft lips. “Bite me, darlin’, make me yours.” A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

44

From the way his lover was trying to keep control, Kevin thought the jaguar shifter was reluctant.

A low growl ripped from his mate. Wood splintered, as Payce shattered the headboard and foot posts. Kevin’s world spun, as Payce flipped him over onto his back, plunging in and out of Kevin like he would die if their two bodies didn’t merge.

Payce’s black eyes flared with sparks of gold as he looked down at his mate.

“Mine!” The jaguar looked down at him through the face of a man.

Kevin tilted his neck, giving submission to the only man, besides his alpha, who he would ever submit to.

Fangs plunged into Kevin’s skin, biting deep into his mating spot between neck and shoulder. The one place he’d never let his casual lovers touch in the past. Pleasure ripped through Kevin’s body as his mate continued to claim him in a delightfully thorough manner.

“Yes,” he whispered. Cum spurted out of his body as, unable to keep pleasure inside, it sought to escape.

With a roar, Payce’s liquid spilled inside him and the jaguar collapsed.

Kevin stayed there for a long moment before realising his mate wasn’t moving. A low purring resulted from his discreet nudge. “Darlin’, I don’t like to nitpick but if you don’t move my lungs are gonna collapse.”

His body jolted from Payce’s laughter. To his relief the large man slid off him, curled up on his side and wrapped his long arms around Kevin.

The purring continued.

“Happy?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Good. I think we’re gonna need a new bed.”

Payce laughed, a soft chuffing sound that probably came from his cat side. “Maybe we should get one made out of metal.”

“Maybe,” Kevin said before curling up beside the warm body of his mate and falling asleep.

* * * *

A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

45

Payce woke up feeling better than he ever had before. Looking down, he smiled at the beautiful man at his side. Kevin had more going for him than good looks; he was beautiful inside too. Payce had thought Kevin would freak when he shifted yesterday, but his mate took everything in stride with his usual calm.

Giggles outside the door turned his attention to the doorway.

Payce quickly covered his body. Living with shifters, the children probably were used to naked people, but he was feeling oddly self-conscious to be found in their father’s bed.

A soft knock followed more giggles.

“Come in,” he said it softly so he didn’t wake up Kevin, but loud enough for the children to hear.

The older one walked in carrying a tray of food. His younger brother closed the door behind him. The kid must have a spring in his ass because he bounced like he couldn’t keep still.

“Mommy said you might be hungry.”

Guilt wormed its way into Payce. Here he’d all but attacked her and she was sending him food. He’d have to go down and talk to her.

“That was nice of her, tell her I said thank you.”

“’kay.”

Payce sat up so Quinn could put the tray across his lap. The spread was huge. Eggs, bacon, pancakes and fresh juice covered the tray in large piles.

“Where’s your mother?”

“She went hunting with the aunts.”

“Are all the females related?”

Quinn nodded.

“Why do you have dark hair like Adrian? You don’t smell like a wolf,” Quinn asked, staring at him.

“I’m a black jaguar. Some call us panthers.”

“I wanna see you shift,” Chase said, staring at him with familiar gold eyes.

“Don’t pester my mate none, you little cubs,” Kevin said beside him.

“Daddy!”

Shit, they were loud.

A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

46

“Quiet, fur balls, my mate isn’t used to your noisy ways.” Payce mouthed a ‘thank you’ to Kevin’s knowing gaze.

“Sorry,” they said together.

“That’s all right.” Payce clutched at the coffee like a lifeline, gulping down the bitter liquid. Maybe if he had more he’d be perky enough to deal with little lions. He looked at the bouncy children.

He might need a vat.

“Go get ready for schoolin’,” Kevin said, giving his children slaps on the ass.

“All right,” Quinn said, giving him a lingering look. He could tell the child had reservations about having another person in his father’s life, but was too well bred to say it.

Chase was a different matter. The little sprite walked around the bed and carefully kissed him on the cheek.

“Welcome, Daddy-mate.” Chase ran off, giggling.

Quinn gave him a careful glance before turning to follow his brother.

“Quinn, greet my mate properly,” Kevin’s growl had his son doing an about face.

Straightening his spine, the child faced Payce with the bravery of an adult lion.

“Welcome to the pride, mate of my father,” the child said formally.

“Thank you, Quinn,” Payce responded.

The boy looked at his father, and with a nod from Kevin relaxed.

“Go on now and get ready for school.”

The child escaped as if the hounds of hell were on his heels.

“You can’t make him like me,” Payce told his mate.

“He don’t have to like ya, but he has to show some respect.” Payce didn’t know what to say.

Turned out he didn’t have to say anything as Kevin spent the next hour showing him all the delightful ways you can eat breakfast off another man’s body.

* * * *

Kevin had to make some business calls, leaving Payce on his own. He still didn’t know what his mate did for a living.

A PRIDEFUL MATE

Amber Kell

47

Wandering aimlessly he found himself heading to the same place most people did when visiting, the kitchen.

He found the dark-haired wolf leaning over a small journal.

“Hello.”

Bright blue eyes examined him with interest. “Hi.” Payce got a welcoming megawatt smile.

“I’m Adrian, we didn’t really get to meet yesterday.” The man came forward, holding out his hand.

Payce felt the spark of power when their hands touched. Despite his size, Adrian had a really strong animal spirit. He saw something powerful move beneath those bright green eyes before his hand was released.

Wow.

The wolf had examined him and decided he wasn’t a danger. Payce was glad in that moment the other man was already mated.

Mr. Friendly-Green-Eyes was dangerous.

Swallowing to get some moisture back in his throat, Payce looked around the room. It was an enormous gourmet kitchen with the lingering smell of bacon and eggs.

“Nice kitchen.”

Adrian laughed. “Yeah, but none of the lions really like cooking.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I bake when I’m stressed.”

“Why are you stressed?”
What the hell could stress a wolf like this?

“Hmm.” Adrian looked up from his book and shrugged. “I’m a game designer. Right now I’m stuck on a programming glitch, my deadline is right around the corner and my mate is out of town. I’m always calmer when Talan’s here.” Payce sat on the kitchen barstool. Close enough to talk but far enough he wouldn’t get in the way. Payce wasn’t a cook. His life subsisted of take out, but he liked to watch other people in the kitchen. There was a sort of ballet done by a good chef.