From Pack to Pride (5 page)

“I thought we could get to know each other better,” Talan said hoarsely, gazing up at Adrian with hungry eyes.

“I probably know more about you than you know about me, nun-flasher.” Talan laughed. “They never can resist that story,” he said with no sign of embarrassment. “Why don’t you come closer? I’m a tactile learner and need my subject up close and personal,” Talan said, beckoning to him with one long finger.

Adrian smiled and walked over until he was towering over the bed and the sexy occupant on top. It was nice to be taller than Talan for a brief moment, but he didn’t trust the lion’s wicked smile. He was pretty sure they were tempting fate but the big lion knew his rules better than Adrian and if he wanted him closer, Adrian wasn’t going to deny him. At least that was the idea before the big lion hand reached out and yanked him off balance.

Adrian gave a loud yelp as he landed on top of the larger shifter.

“You could’ve just said to hurry.”

“I was enjoying looking at you.”

“If you were enjoying it, why did you yank me down?”

“Because I knew I would enjoy you on top of me even more.” To Adrian’s amusement, Talan rubbed his cheeks across Adrian’s, first one then the other.

“Marking me?”

“Absolutely. I don’t want you to get within fifty feet of another shifter without him smelling my scent on you.”

It was a struggle to keep up the banter. The body beneath him was all heat and hard muscles. Adrian felt a strong animal compulsion to roll over and show his belly. If Talan was another wolf, they’d be having hot shifter sex by now.

FROM PACK TO PRIDE

Amber Kell

31

However, Adrian was trying to respect the lion’s ways even as the lion was pushing him beyond temptation. Adrian realised with a shock that he was beginning to really like the big cat who was looking up at him with heat and laughter in his eyes.

“What about a her?” Adrian teased.

“Are you bi?”

“No.”

“Then I’m not worried about women.”

Adrian didn’t know what it was about the big cat, but he felt happy lying there in Talan’s arms. The urge to mark the man in a more primal way shot through Adrian.

Until he was certain he wanted to keep the lion or not, he didn’t want other shifters sniffing around Talan. There was enough to think about with leaving his pack and integrating with another species, without worrying about interested outsiders.

Following his instincts, Adrian licked a long line down Talan’s neck. He waited until the lion was relaxed before opening his jaw and sinking his fangs into the lion’s shoulder.

Now any shifter who came within six feet of Talan would know the big cat was involved with someone. It wasn’t deep enough for a mating mark, which was done on the neck and much deeper. It was more of a ‘keep away from my guy’ mark.

“Shit!” Talan screamed.

Adrian felt warm wetness against the bare skin on his stomach and knew Talan had come from his bite.

The bedroom door slammed open. One of the males shouted from the doorway. “Fuck, he’s eating him.”

Adrian disengaged his fangs and licked the spot. “I’m not eating him,” Adrian said in a calmer tone than he felt. “I’m marking him.”

“That hurt,” Talan said, wincing.

“Don’t be such a baby.” Looking at the group crowding the bedroom doorway, Adrian’s cock went soft.

One of the male lions was joined by three of Talan’s sisters. Never a fan of being watched, Adrian knew it was time to bail. He’d discuss the bite with Talan later.

“That’s it. I’m out of here.”

FROM PACK TO PRIDE

Amber Kell

32

Ignoring the group by the door, Adrian slid off the bed and grabbed the jeans he’d left on the floor. Slipping them on, he snatched up his Granny’s baking book and left the room.

The cats scurried out of his way as he approached, moving without a word.

He needed to bake something.

FROM PACK TO PRIDE

Amber Kell

33

Chapter Four

Talan was driving Adrian nuts. His balls were going to fall off before they mated.

Unlike the lion, Adrian hadn’t gotten off.

Remembering the scene, Adrian’s cock got hard again. Damn, the man was sexy.

Frowning, Adrian considered whether he really wanted to mate with the big cat. There was no mistaking the attraction between the two of them, but was it a quick fire attraction or a more lasting emotion?

Adrian had a lot of experience with the first type and none with the second. Shaking his head, he decided after baking he’d do something easy, maybe find a solution to an unsolvable theorem or barter world peace.

The worn leather binding of his grandmother’s cookbook calmed him as he stood in the middle of the large kitchen. With the cool ceramic tile beneath his feet soothing his overheated skin, he flipped through the book. His grandmother’s handwriting brought back happy childhood memories as he remembered the elderly woman who’d loved him since the day he was born. Three years after her death, he still missed her and her no nonsense approach to life.

Picking the next recipe he hadn’t tried, Adrian did a quick survey of the lion’s surprisingly well-stocked kitchen and got to work.

After some time spent methodically measuring, chopping and mixing, his head was clearer and his heart was no longer racing in his chest. Adrian knew if it was meant to be things would work out between him and Talan and if it wasn’t, he could go back to his family. It helped to have options and a really understanding brother.

An hour later he was pulling four batches of double chocolate walnut brownies out of the oven.

The non-baking lions had a set of double ovens.

Who knew? He had a feeling none of the lions did.

“That smells good.” The male that had interrupted his mating with Talan, settled cautiously on the other side of the long breakfast bar.

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Amber Kell

34

Adrian glared at the lion shifter as he filled the dishwasher with dirty baking pans. He hated to leave behind dirty dishes.

“Listen, man. I didn’t know you were doing a wolf sex thing. I just heard my alpha screaming. I can’t go against my instincts.” Adrian nodded but didn’t speak. However, he did put a giant brownie at the bottom of a bowl, added a scoop of gourmet vanilla ice cream he’d found in the back of the freezer and topped it all off with whipped cream.

“Here you go.”

“Ooh. I’m forgiven,” Dillon said in a singsong tone. After one bite the man started making loud noises of enjoyment.

Adrian wondered if the man wasn’t getting enough sex if a sundae could put him into that kind of ecstasy.

“You can make me brownies anytime,” Dillon said, licking his spoon.

Adrian’s cell phone vibrated in his pocket, startling him. He’d forgotten it was there.

“Hello.”

“How are you doing?” Kade’s voice came over the phone.

“I’m making brownies.”

“Shit. Sorry to hear that. Just think you only have five months and twenty-nine days left.” There was a pause on the line and Adrian knew his brother didn’t call only to check on him.

“What’s going on Kade?”

The alpha wolf cleared his throat before confessing. “I called to let you know that Olson disappeared. I have a feeling he’s headed your way. Keep an eye out, I don’t trust that wolf.” There was a squeal in the background. “Wait, Helen wants to talk to you.”

“Adrian, baby, if they’re mean to you, let me know. I have three brothers who like to shoot stuff. They’d go lion hunting in a minute.” She lowered her voice. “They’d also take out a difficult wolf if you don’t want to let big brother know you need some help.” Adrian laughed. “Thanks, honey. I appreciate it.”

“Just remember we love you and no matter what stupid pact my husband made, you can always come home and we’ll figure something out.”

“I love you too, babe. I’ll remember what you said and talk to you later.” FROM PACK TO PRIDE

Amber Kell

35

“Bye.”

“Bye.” Smiling, he disconnected the phone. Helen always cheered him up. She was such a sweetheart.

“You’re kind of a mark ‘em and leave ‘em type, aren’t you?” a deep voice accused behind him.

“What?” Adrian spun around and found Talan standing directly behind him.

The big lion crossed his arms and glared down at Adrian. “You mark me as if I’m the one who’s never going to get away, then I come in here and you’re declaring your love for someone else. I thought to give you time to calm down, but I see you used that time to replace me.” Talan’s voice was getting louder with each word.

Out of the corner of his eye, Adrian saw Dillon grab his bowl and exit the room. “For your information, that was my sister-in-law.”

“Oh.”

Adrian could see Talan backtracking in his mind, but he wasn’t in the mood to be forgiving.

“And as for the marking part, it’s only a temporary mark to keep others away until we decide what we want to do. I don’t want you fucking around or other people thinking you’re available while we’re still deciding if we’re going to be mates.”

“You think I’d do that?” Talan asked, standing tall as if he was trying to intimidate Adrian with his height.

Being the shortest in the pack, height had no impact on intimidating Adrian. He was too used to everyone else being taller.

“I don’t know you, that’s the point,” Adrian said, fixing Talan with his coldest look. He knew this wasn’t the time to give in if he wanted a future with the other man. A big alpha would only appreciate strength in his mate. The more time Adrian spent with Talan, the more he liked the man who looked at him with big gold eyes as if he was the finest thing he’d ever seen.

Adrian let out a yelp as Talan lifted him up and draped him over the big lion’s shoulder. A slap on the ass brought another yell.

“What the hell are you doing?”

FROM PACK TO PRIDE

Amber Kell

36

“Taking you back to my bed where you belong. You want to prove we’re compatible, I’m all for that plan,” Talan said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to carry a man over his shoulder. Hell, for him, maybe it was.

“And I’m locking the fucking door,” Talan said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Shifters in the next county probably heard him.

After kicking the door closed behind them and turning the lock, the large man laid Adrian gently on the mattress.

“Why do you look so surprised?” Talan asked. He stripped off Adrian’s pants while he waited for his answer.

“I sort of thought you’d just throw me down all manly shifter and all.” Talan shook his head before pulling off his own clothing and the rest of Adrian’s. “I might hurt you.” He gave Adrian a shy smile. “Sometimes I don’t know my own strength. I know you’re tougher than you look, but I wouldn’t take that sort of risk with my mate.”

“Mate?”

“We’re mates. You might not be ready to acknowledge it, but I knew as soon as I saw your picture that you were the one the Gods picked out for me and nothing is going to stand in the way of my claiming you.”

Adrian had never thought much about the Gods picking out his mate. Wolves were more practical than predestined, for them it was all about chemistry, but if the lion wanted to think they were matched by a higher power Adrian wasn’t going to contradict him.

As Talan slid onto the bed beside him, Adrian’s instincts screamed for him to claim the big shifter, but if he gave in now he would always be the one who gave in. Talan needed to make the first move.

“I thought you lions had a bunch of rules to follow. What happened to taking it slow and easy?”

Talan tilted his head to look at Adrian. “Are you trying to get out of being my mate?” Adrian felt a burst of panic as he thought of being the only wolf in a pride of lions.

What would his life be like without his pack? “I don’t know how to live without a pack,” Adrian confessed.

FROM PACK TO PRIDE

Amber Kell

37

Talan looked at him for a long while. “Honey, you don’t have to live without your pack.

They are only four hours away. You can visit them every full moon. As long as you come back to me, I’m not going to stop you from visiting your brother’s pack.”

“My pack.”

Talan gave Adrian a tender look. “I’m hoping over time you will look upon my pride as your pack. You might be the only wolf in a group of lions, but you will be the most important to me.”

“Don’t you want to take it slow? We have six months to make a decision.” Talan shook his head. “I have a feeling if I don’t pin you down now, you might slip between my fingers.”

“After what Dillon told me, I thought you had to follow procedures or your lion might not accept me.” Adrian wasn’t ready for this. He’d figured there’d be a lot more negotiating and give and take. Nothing had prepared him for the large lion shifter accepting him so easily as his mate.

“My lion likes you just fine.”

“He does, does he?” Adrian teased sliding back a little.

“Where are you going?” Talan growled.

“Nowhere.”

He scooted back a little more, watching the big lion’s eyes watching him. It was time for a little chase. With smooth liquid motions, Adrian did a back flip over the side of the bed and took off.

Growling, Talan ran after him. “You know cats love a good game of chase.”

“I thought you only chased your tail?”

Adrian was small but agile, easily evading the other man, smiling at the light of enjoyment in Talan’s eyes.

Talan leapt over the bed and landed in front of Adrian. Anticipating the move, Adrian slipped out of the space seconds after Talan arrived. Laughing he ran to the other side of the room. Not too quickly, he
did
want to get caught.

He blew Talan a kiss.

Talan laughed. “I’d rather do that in person.” Distracted with the image in his head, Adrian lost his chance to escape.

FROM PACK TO PRIDE

Amber Kell

38

“Got you.” Talan grabbed Adrian, wrapping him in the cage of his strong arms and spinning him around. “Thought you could get away from me, did you?”

“Mmmhmm. You fooled me,” Adrian said. He slid his hand down, memorizing the shape of Talan’s cock in his hand. The shifter was excited after chasing Adrian around and it showed. Adrian was pleased when the larger man’s eyes rolled to the back of his head in pleasure and he started purring.