When an Alpha Purrs (16 page)

Belonging to a lion’s pride took some adjusting. For one, Kira had to learn to live without any expectation of privacy. She now understood why Arik employed the touch screen system, which relied on fingerprint scans and even facial images for security. Even with those measures, his mother found ways to invade their home. Often at the most inopportune moments.

Bang. Bang. Bang

“Why can’t any of you use a bloody phone?” Arik roared, one of those times when they’d disturbed his pursuit of the sensitive spot on the nape of her neck.

Kira almost roared a time or two with him. A human roar, of course, because, to her relief, Arik had spoken the truth when he said his whole furry deal wasn’t contagious. Still, though, she wasn’t reassured by his mention that some of their children would carry the gene.

Children.

Babies.

Big eek!

One of these days, it would happen. Or so he so arrogantly assumed. They’d talked about kids. He was all for having a litter, the sooner, the better. Kira, however, stuck to her guns, insisting that they needed time to get to know one another.

But that conversation had happened a while ago. A few weeks as a matter of fact and much had changed since her initial shocking immersion into his life—and his secret.

For one thing, he wasn’t the control freak she’d first accused him of being. Well, he was, just not in the way she initially expected. For example, he was a freak about his space. Arik liked his apartment kept a certain way, to which end he had an army of cleaners come in daily to keep it spotless. It was uncanny how thorough they were.

Kira enjoyed testing them, leaving smudges in odd places and putting dirty dishes under the bed, in the vanity drawer. She even balled up some underwear and stuffed it with other dirty laundry in the freezer.

Wiped clean, washed and put away, laundered and folded in her drawers. It was unnatural how they always knew. Was it crazy to suspect Arik of employing elves instead of real people? He denied it, but she had a feeling. If she could only catch this mysterious cleanup crew at work…

Cleanliness wasn’t his only adorable neurosis. Like many felines, Arik liked to nap, in the sun on that giant pillow she’d noticed on her first visit. The quirky part was he enjoyed napping as a man, in the nude.

While coming across a naked hunk, stretching tanned muscles warmed from sunlight, was kind of delicious, it did kind of freak her out the first time since she’d brought her aunt with her to show her that Arik was indeed a real boyfriend with a real condo and that, no, she wasn’t lying to avoid a blind date with Auntie’s friend Petunia’s single, balding, forty-year-old son.

The “oh my” her aunt uttered wasn’t entirely due to shock, and the color in her cheeks not just embarrassment. Arik, that naughty feline, just grinned when Kira chastised him for traumatizing her aunt.

Then Kira mauled him for being too utterly delicious. But after that naked incident, she made sure to peek inside before letting any visitors in, and her family stopped all their matchmaking attempts.

As to her initial accusation that he would curtail her freedom and that his misogynist attitude would have her tied to hearth and kitchen? Wrong. He really had only initially kept her closeted out of concern for her safety. With the danger eradicated, she had free rein to come and go as she pleased. She had to make only one concession. If she wasn’t with him, then, given her position as his mate, she had to tolerate a bodyguard shadowing her movements when she left the condo.

It was a small price to pay for the utter happiness life with Arik brought her. And besides, she kind of enjoyed the rotating lionesses he assigned to her—because, as it turned out, the pride was mostly women, and they were the true hunters.

A mugger learned that the hard way when Reba made him cry for his mother and promise to do community service.

Life was different, but good. Real good.

I’m happy.

Truly and utterly. Happy with Arik, a man she spent all her spare time with. A man she slept with every night. While they’d initially started out taking turns at each other’s apartment, her lack of space, a live-in cook, and the most awesome shower soon put an end to that. But it wasn’t his splendid amenities and apartment that kept them together. Kira just enjoyed being with him. The thought of going back to her place, even for one night, without him, didn’t appeal at all.

Because I love him.

Huh. I wonder when that happened.
She couldn’t pinpoint one particular event, but it had happened. She loved a lion.

Peeking at him where he sat perusing the stock market on his phone while chewing on some crisp bacon, she blurted out the momentous news. “I love you.”

“I know.” Smugly said.

She blinked. “What do you mean you know?”

“Because of the letter A.”

“What does A have to do with anything other than being the first letter in your name?”

“Because it also stands for awesome.”

“And arrogant.”

“Are we back to alphabetizing my attributes? B is for brave.”

She laughed. “Don’t you dare start again. Besides, there’s only one set of four letters that interest me.”

“Oh?” he said, putting down his phone and ignoring his meal. “And what might those be?”

“M.I.N.E.”

The only word she needed to have him drag her onto his lap for a scorching kiss.

A whispered, “I love you,” vibrated against her lips, his softly growled admission fueling her passion.

And after they were done, panting, glowing, and cradled together, ignoring the pounding at the door, she held still as she tried to figure out what she heard.

It should have been impossible. Arik was a lion, and yet he was— “Purring?”

Indeed, he was.
And when an alpha purrs, pleasure is sure to follow.

*

A few days later…

Babysitting duty. The indignity of it burned. Didn’t Arik know that Hayder had better things to do on a Saturday night than babysit Jeoff’s baby sister? Important stuff like washing his luxurious mane, or playing the latest Call of Duty with his buds online.

But no, he was
ordered
—and yes he mentally finger quoted—to play bodyguard to some wolf chick as a favor to Jeoff.

He knocked but didn’t wait for an answer at the condo door. Being the pride’s beta gave him certain liberties, such as access to all the units in the building. He walked in, and stopped dead.

Literally, and with good reason, given a gun wavered in front of his face.

But the weapon wasn’t the most shocking thing. It was the possessive growl of his lion and the truth that gobsmacked him when he caught her scent.

Mine.

Uh-oh.

The End…

…of Arik and Kira’s story, but the fun continues in A Lion’s Pride series with Hayder’s story,
When a Beta Roars
. Followed by our ‘gentle’ giant, Leo,
When an Omega Snaps
.

Author’s Note:

Thank you so much for reading my lion story. I had so much fun writing it as I adore furry heroes that
roar
! If you have a moment, I would love it if you left a review. To check out more of my books, please visit my website at
EveLanglais.com
or join my
mailing list
for new releases and awesome specials
.

Thank you for reading.

~ Eve Langlais

Kodiak Point Series (USA Today Bestselling):

Kodiak’s Claim:
Hands full taking care of his clan, the last thing this Kodiak bear needs is a woman poking her cute little nose into his affairs. But when she refuses to back down—and shows the courage to stand up to him—he can’t resist the allure of a curvy city girl.

Outfoxed By Love:
A man of few words, Boris has a firm way of saying No, but a determined vixen knows he’s her mate. Jan has not had much success in getting her bullheaded moose to notice her, but all that changes when her life is put in danger.

Polar Bared:
When Vicky accidentally slides into the side of a polar bear, she doesn’t expect to fall in love. Eaten yes, perhaps used as a chew toy, but become the object of a bear’s affection and lust?

Caribou’s Gift:
Damn it, a man had his pride and a caribou a certain majestic presence, all of which could wind up ruined if he abased himself to play a simple-minded reindeer in the town’s Christmas parade. No way was he wearing damned tinsel in his antlers. Like hell was he sporting a red nose and pulling a sleigh.  But he changes his mind when he meets the woman in charge of the event.

Wolf’s Capture:
Brody is a soldier who misses the excitement of the military and its missions. He retired to work as clan beta in Kodiak Point. Talk about boring, until he’s captured by a foreign enemy. Him, a prisoner? Not for long. This wolf will do anything in order to get away–even if it involves seduction.

Grizzly Love:
Dr. Jess was his soulmate. His grizzly knew it. He knew it. Suspected she did as well. But he did have one dilemma standing in his way. Her husband. Talk about inconvenient.

Furry United Coalition (F.U.C.) Series (Bestseller):
It started with an energetic bunny and a grumpy bear (
Bunny And The Bear
). It continued with a geeky swan and her playboy bear (
Swan And The Bear
)
. And then we encountered an ornery croc who couldn't help falling for a foxy lady (
Croc And The Fox
).
In
Lion And The Falcon
, when an A.S.S agent is given to F.U.C, it's not just the criminals who feel the heat. In
Doe and the Wolf
, how does a predator convince his prey he’s after more than just her body?

Princess of Hell Series:

Lucifer’s Daughter (Bestseller):
Being Lucifer’s daughter can be Hell.

Snowballs In Hell:
The misbegotten daughter of Satan is once again in trouble, and not just because Hell has frozen over.

Hell’s Revenge:
It’s never a good idea to piss off this Princess of Hell because revenge is her middle name.

Freakn’ Shifters Series (Bestseller):

Delicate Freakn’ Flower
:
Naomi doesn’t want to follow tradition and settle down with a violence-loving, chest thumping shifter. When fate—with a snicker—makes her meet not one, but two mates, Naomi digs her heels in and refuses to do what her wolf—and her body—demands. Can this delicate freakn’ flower unbend her prejudices enough to recognize she needs a pair of men who can handle her thorns—and her passion?

Jealous And Freakn’:
Francine’s loved Mitchell, a wolf shifter like herself, since she first set eyes on him, back when they were just kids. However, Mitchell’s refuses to see the truth and keeps running away. Determined to make him realize he's meant to be hers, she enlists the aide of Alejandro, a gorgeous cat shifter. She never counted on wanting them both.

Already Freakn’ Mated
:
Lucky him, he found his mate. Just one teensy, tiny problem. She was already married to someone else.

Human and Freakn’:
Forget the dangers of the jungle. In peril is Ruth’s heart when two hunky shifters become determined to claim her despite her humanity.

Jungle Freakn’ Bride:
Everyone’s heard of the mysterious Moon Ghost Jaguars, supposed shapeshifting men who steal women as their brides. Half naked, ripped and oh so delicious, they always come as a pair and turn into really big freakn’ cats! But Carlie's not giving in to their plans to mate without a fight.

Freakn’ Cougar:
Forget taming their cougar. These hunks want her as is, even if she scratches.

Welcome To Hell Series:

A Demon And His Witch
:
Remy’s seen a lot of things during his tenure in Lucifer’s guard, but nothing can prepare him for the witch with the acerbic tongue--and voluptuous figure. Her mouth says ‘Screw you,' but her body screams ‘Take me.’ Before he can decide if his demonizing days are done, though, he needs to catch the bad guys, save the girl and then find a way to convince her to love him and not kill him.

A Demon And His Psycho:
So she was a tad bit nuts, Katie’s insanity came in handy as the Devil’s favorite problem solver. But killing’s not on the menu when a dragon goes missing, and worse, Lucifer teams her up with Hell’s grumpiest demon. His rejection of her advances only makes her more determined to seduce him. And despite her violent reputation, a part of her is oddly tempted to let him live.

Date With Death:
His mission was to harvest her soul, but he captured her heart instead. Marigold has a date with Death, but when she foils his plan to take her soul back to Hell, she invites him to dinner instead.

A Demon and Her Scot:
An unlikely duo, the golfing match from Hell, and a devil determined to win, even if he has to cheat. Lucifer's up to his matchmaking mischief again in this fast-paced, humorous jaunt into the bowels of the pit. Think you can handle the heat?

Hell’s Kitty:
Okay, so Felipe ate a few of the Styx sea creatures. In his defense, they were awfully tasty. Depleting the monster reservoir didn’t mean Lucifer had to go all Lord of Hell on him and order him to go on a stupid mission. And to Siren Isle of all places! Everyone knows males should stay far, far away from that dangerous place. The only stroke of luck is the woman he’s after isn’t a siren. Nor is she quite a mermaid. As a matter of fact, Jenny isn’t like anyone he’s ever met—so, of course, this curious cat wants her.

Pack Series (Bestsellers):

Defying Pack Law
: Pack law states Lycan females must be shared by several males, but young and in love, Dana flees rather than be forced into a ménage. Her life on the run has no room for happiness so when her past catches up and brings her back to the pack, she finds herself reevaluating her beliefs. Can she learn to accept the Lycan polyamorous way of life? Or will jealousy and fear send her running again?

Betraying The Pack
: Rescued by a quad of hunks, then kept against her so they can protect her, Bailey doesn’t know what to think or do, other than scream that is, when she discovers they are werewolves. Even more frightening, they want her as their mate, and lover. Can Bailey learn to accept pack law, which states females can choose up to four mates, or will an evil entity force her to betray the pack?

Seeking Pack Redemption:
What started out as a search for his missing sibling, turns into a rescue mission of a woman who makes his inner beast howl. Trent knows its wrong to want his dead brother’s mate, but he can’t help himself, and neither can his friends. Danger stalks the one they want and they’ll have to fight to set her free. One lone wolf discovers sometimes even outcasts can earn forgiveness.

New Pack Order:
Thaddeus has lived too long to waste his time playing the games the other vampires indulge in. However, when it comes to keeping his kind safe from the notice of humans, he’ll do what it takes to stop a madman intent on starting a war. He embarks on a one man quest to avert disaster, but along the way discovers even a killer can become a hero—and a lover.

Alien Abduction Series (Bestseller):

Accidental Abduction:
Tren's accidental abduction of an Earthling female turns his life upside down. Her fiery spirit draws him while at the same time drives him insane. Struggling with his urges, he must decide-- throttle her barbarian neck or embrace his insanity and claim her as his mate?

Intentional Abduction:
She intentionally abducted him because of his skills as a warrior, so, when the chance arose, he stole her for revenge.

Dual Abduction
: They both wanted her. The question was, could they share her? Abducted by alien slavers, along with a group of teenage misfits, Louisa doesn’t think her week can get any stranger until two big purple warriors arrive to the rescue—and then fight over who gets to keep her.

Mercenary Abduction
:
Makl is looking to become the greatest mercenary the universe has known. In true family tradition, he leaves a trail of mayhem and bodies wherever he goes. steals the most priceless of items, ravishes females left and right. But that all ends the day he comes across the biggest prize of all – a human barbarian.

Heroic Abduction:
Bucking family tradition, Dyre is determined to become his planet’s first hero, even if it breaks his mother’s heart. He sets out on numerous quests to save the universe, however his altruism never seems to turn out quite as expected. Who knew doing the right thing was so hard?

Holiday Abduction:
Vhyl is determined to acquire a certain lost artifact, but when he lands on the forbidden barbarian planet known as Earth, he finds more than expected. An attractive human female is in possession of the priceless object, and she’s agreed to hand it over—for a price.

Alien Mate Series
:
They’re big, they’re blue, and they’re taking earthling females as mates.

Alien Mate (Bestseller):
Diana is ironing her underwear when the hottest blue babe in the galaxy appears in her living room—naked. Abducted, decontaminated and dressed like a harem girl, she’s been chosen to become the alien’s mate.

Alien Mate 2:
Maya's been raised to believe in extra-terrestrials and when she saves a sexy blue one from drowning, she can't resist taking him home-and into her bed.

Alien Mate 3:
Abducted by a hunky blue alien, researcher and admitted geek Penny is eager to study his mating habits—in the flesh. She’d like to blame her illogical affection for him on hormones, but the erotic remedy just heightens her chemical imbalance.

Cyborgs: More Than Machines Series:

Half man, half machine, which side will win the battle when it comes to feeling emotions?

C791
:
Machines aren’t supposed to feel, but this cyborg can’t help falling in love.

F814
:
Solus thinks emotions are a weakness, until he discovers passion.

B785
:
When cyborg intelligence meets sensual robotics circuit boards sizzle.

Aramus
:
Wiping out humanity is his number one objective—until he meets
her
.

Seth
:
This spy is on a mission – for love.

Adam
:
This rebel leader likes to blow things up.

Avion
:
He might be broken, but he can’t help but love her.

Non Series Titles:

Two's A Couple, Three's The Law
:  When it comes to choosing between two men, the law says don’t. Keep them both.

Wickedest Witch
:  Welcome to Wicked Incorporated where the insults are always free.

The Geek Job:
Protect the geek. A simple job, until the tough shewolf falls for the man of science.

Broomstick Breakdown:
Mating should be simple, but he didn’t count on a stubborn witch making abduction—and seduction—his only option.

Taming Her Wolf:
She’s determined to tame him, and see if he tastes as good as he looks. But he turns the tables and ends up capturing her heart.

His Teddy Bear (Bestseller):
Curvy Teddy’s found her mate. Just one problem. He doesn’t like what he sees.

Scared of Spiders (Bestseller):
When Josie can’t choose between the werewolves who want her, there’s only one thing to do—share her.

The Hunter:
When a supernatural threat from Suzie’s past threatens her, Hunter steps in to help this single mother and her twins.

Mated To The Devil:
A one night stand leads to a surprise nine months later, but being an unwed mother is the least of Mina’s problems when her son ends up showing signs of not being human.