Prideless

by Kasey Belle

  Chapter 13

  Max watched Shelly with amusement. He wondered if she could chew her food any slower. She was stalling big time, which made him all the more curious as to what kinds of questions she had written on that piece of paper.

  His lion let out a lustful growl. “Sex questions, hopefully.”

  “Dude! We just got our raging hard-on under control and you had to bring up sex. Damn it! Now I’m thinking about the different scenarios those sex questions could entail.”

  “I don’t like seeing her so uncertain. She shouldn’t fear our reaction, nor should she think there is anything she can’t discuss with us.”

  “I know.”

  “Shelly?” Her eyes moved from that ominous piece of lined yellow legal sized paper to his. He felt an overwhelming need to haul her into his lap and shield her when her face flushed with embarrassment. “Why don’t you start with the easiest question on that list and we can go from there.”

  Her heart rate ratcheted up a notch, she looked down at the paper, and then back at him. She took a deep breath as if she were about to jump in the deep end. “Okay. I guess that’s a good way to start.”

  “There is nothing you can’t ask me. You know that, right? If I can’t answer or don’t know the answer, I’ll let you know.”

  “You might think some of them are stupid.”

  Oh, so that was her problem. He didn’t think that was possible, especially knowing everything he knew about her so far, one of those being she was highly intelligent.

  “I doubt that. Go on, ask me.”

  “Okay, don’t laugh.”

  He nodded his agreement and prayed he didn’t break his word because her mind and thought process could be so convoluted.

  Her eyes scanned the page. “Okay an easy one. Ah, here’s one. How old are you?”

  “Thirty-one.” She looked at him expectantly as if waiting for more. What more was there? It was a pretty straightforward question. “What?”

  She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t you want to know how old I am?”

  “I already know how old you are. You’re twenty-three.”

  “You do? I’m sorry I didn’t know how old you were.” Her sweet face twisted with sadness. She looked so dejected. “I guess I should have.”

  He placed a hand on her ankle and squeezed. “Hey. I only know because Kell told me. You shouldn’t feel bad. Ask another one, Doll.”

  She scanned the paper again, and he was relieved to see the light back in her eyes. “Were both of your parents shape-shifters?”

  “Yes.”

  “So is me not being a shifter a problem?”

  “No. Not all the members of my father’s pride were shifter, some were human.”

  “What about the pride here?”

  “It’s not a problem. John St. Pierre follows shifter law.”

  Shelly laid the paper face down in her lap and leaned towards him. “You have laws?” She looked and sounded fascinated.

  “We do. Every pack, pride, glaring, etc. have their own sets of rules and laws that apply specifically to their group. However, there some laws and rules created and enforced by the shifter council. Those laws pertain to shifters as a whole. One of them is that mating’s are sacred. No one, neither shifter nor human, has a right to interfere with a mating. Mates are our other halves, chosen by the Fates to complete us. Mates are cherished, respected, and protected no matter who or what the Fates choose.”

  “Does everyone follow that rule?”

  “Most, but not all. There are those that think shifters should only mate with shifters of their same species and have been known to stop a mating. If the council finds out they are dealt with.”

  “So you have a government, within a government, within another government?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Wow, fascinating.”

  Not really, Max thought. It was just the way it was done. Then again, he figured, to an outsider it probably was interesting.

  She was back to her paper. “You said last night that you have to follow John St. Pierre’s rule, but you would never join his pride.”

  “That’s right. An alpha can visit another alpha’s territory and he can stay in that territory with permission, usually it’s only for a short amount of time. Alpha St. Pierre has allowed my stay to be indefinite, with conditions.”

  “One is following his rules, right?”

  His beast reacted before he could gain control. Shelly jumped when his lion took offense and growled at her. “We respect his rules and agree to them. We don’t follow him.”

  She sat back as far away from him as possible. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  Fuck! He scared her. He wasn’t expecting a visceral reaction to any of her questions. He would have locked the beast down if he had known. He reached for her hand and he felt about two inches tall when she flinched. He ignored her reaction and gently took her hand. “No, Mate, I’m sorry. It was an innocent question. Needless to say, my lion is still coming to grips with the fact that we live in another alpha’s territory. My original visit was supposed to be temporary, but a blonde haired, green-eyed beauty changed that.”

  Shelly smiled and blushed. “And your lion is angry about this?” She teased.

  “Oh yeah, he’s so upset he can’t stop thinking about her.” He pulled on the braid that hung over her shoulder. “He’s very happy about that. In order for me to remain, I had to agree to a few conditions. I agreed to respect the rules that John set for his pride. I agreed to abide by those rules and to not question or challenge how he rules over his pride; as long as they didn’t endanger someone I care about. I have permission to live in his territory, but not on his land. I am an alpha and I can’t join his pride. Two alphas can’t exist in the same pride. The constant power struggle would tear the pride apart. If it came to that, there are only two choices really, challenge the alpha or leave.”

  “Staying here permanently would be hard for you then?”

  “In some ways yes and in some ways, no, but it’s worth it. I’d walk through fire for you, Mate.”

  “How does it work exactly?”

  “How does what work?”

  “Mating.”

  He moved from his seat on the opposite end of the couch to center so he could be next to her. “When you are ready, I will make love to you, fill you with my seed, and I will bite you, here.” He ran the back of his finger over the spot between her shoulder and neck. “This marks you with my scent and my DNA. I only need to mark you once for other shifters to recognize you as mine and for the mating to be complete physically, emotionally, and spiritually. My DNA, also, introduces healing properties into your body. Some of your physiology will change your eyesight, hearing, metabolism, immunity, and your ability to heal. Your lifespan will match mine. We will develop a mating link that gives us the ability to speak to each other using our minds. We will want to mate as much as possible especially during the heat. You will come to crave me as much as I crave you. The bond that will flow between us at that moment will be so strong that we will want to relive it whenever possible.”

  “Will it hurt when you bite me?”

  He noticed she said when, not if. Of course, he wasn’t dumb enough to point that out. He shared a mental fist to paw bump with his lion. He edged closer to her until their thighs touched. “No. From what I understand, it’s quite pleasurable.”

  “Oh. That doesn’t sound so bad.”

  He loved that breathy way she spoke when she was turned on. He couldn’t wait to find out if he would hear her say his name in that voice when she came.

  “Will I become like you?”

  He shook his head. “You will never become a shifter no matter how many times I claim you.”

  “No offense, but, good.” That little cheeky grin that made him want to redden her perfect peach of an ass made its appearance. “I can’t imagine dealing with hairballs, hackin’ them up and stuff.” She did a little dramatic full body shiver.
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  “Oh, that’s it. Your smart assery has gone too far.” Max pounced on her. She squealed when he growled, nibbled on her neck, and then she let loose peals of laughter as he tickled her ribs.

  “I can’t breathe…Max.”

  He stopped immediately and checked her over to make sure he hadn’t hurt her. He gave her a stern narrow eyed glare. “Are you going to apologize? Hair balls really?”

  She stopped laughing and blinked. She looked like the picture of innocence until she started chuckling. He shook his head and smiled. She amused him.

  “Okay. Okay. Let’s be serious now.” She said that as if he was the one throwing around accusations about hairballs and laughing about it.

  He sat back and watched her as she fixed her hair and straighten her shirt. He itched to mess her up again.

  “So if you can’t make us like you.” She grinned. “How come there are shifters.”

  “I didn’t say we couldn’t make you like us. I said claiming you wouldn’t make you a shifter.”

  Her body froze and her eyes went wide. “You can really do that? Turn people into lions, I mean.”

  His lion gave him a mental Gibbs slap. “You should have kept your big mouth shut. Now you have to explain it and she’s going to run away screaming.”

  “Max?”

  “Huh? Uh, sorry, Doll. We can turn humans into shifters. When a human is turned, let’s just say it’s horrific and frowned upon, and leave it at that.”

  She frowned. “I want to know. I can handle it. How can I decide if I don’t know everything?”

  “I don’t want to scare you. The council has very strict rules with regard to turning humans. We can turn a human if it’s to save their life, especially if that human is our mate. If it’s proven that a shifter turned humans for malicious intent, it’s a crime punishable by death. No, I won’t describe it to you, maybe some other time. It’s dangerous and violent. Most humans don’t survive or they go rogue.”

  “Rogue?”

  “The human could turn out fine and become a shifter or the gene could mutate causing the human to become more beast than man. Rogue beasts can’t control their shift.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “He could be standing in the middle of the grocery store and all of a sudden, bam, feral lion and he’s not looking for eggs. Rogue shifters are put down to protect others, human and shifter alike.”

  “Wow. That is kind of scary. I hate that they have to die, but I get it. It’s still sad.”

  “You have such a caring heart, Mate.”

  “Fiona thinks it’s my greatest asset and biggest downfall.” She smiled and shrugged.

  Max wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but Shelly didn’t seem upset by her friend’s words. He had to admit that Fiona wasn’t wrong in her assessment, but he never would have said that to Shelly for fear of hurting her feelings.

  “So how did you become a shifter?”

  “My parents were shifters. I told you that.”

  She poked him in his stomach. “I know that smarty pants. I meant how do shifters happen?”

  “In a land far, far, away a werelion mated with a human and the Ailuranthrope gene passed to their offspring creating the first shifter.”

  “What’s the difference between a werelion and a shifter?”

  “A Werelion is created when a human has been infected with a therienthrope virus. They spend most of their time in lion form. Werelions shift to human form long enough to keep the virus under control and maintain the ability to shift. Shifts are often uncontrollable and unpredictable. Also, where the moon effects the werewolf, the sun, solar eclipses and flares effect the werelion. Eclipses make them weak and flares give them strength.

  Shifters are born. The mutated gene caused by the virus passes genetically from the mother to the child, regardless if both the mates are shifters or only one. Shifters spend most of their time in human form. The sun affects us, but the effects aren’t as extreme. We are in complete balance with our beast, two halves of a whole. We control our shifts.”

  “Unless you go rogue.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So if we had children they would be shifters.”

  “Yes. Does that bother you?”

  “No, as long as I don’t give birth to a litter of kittens at one time.”

  He laughed. “No, no litter. No hairballs. Shifter babies are just like human babies. We don’t have our first shift until puberty.”

  “You know I’m just teasing right?”

  He caressed her knuckles with his thumb. “I know. You don’t have a mean bone in your body. You would never deliberately hurt anyone.” He let go of her hand. He wanted her to know the truth to see the honesty in his eyes when he said what he was about to say. He held her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. “You make me happy. I can honestly say I can’t remember a time where I laughed so easily. My soul feels lighter when I’m with you. There has always been this gaping hole in my soul that I could never fill. Then I found you. That hole is still there, only now, it’s filled with your light. You are so very precious to me.”

  Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Max brushed her tears away with his thumbs. He slowly lowered his face to hers, giving her time to stop him. She didn’t. He ran his tongue along her lips, tracing their shape. She opened so sweetly to him. His tongue slipped between her lips and her flavor burst on his taste buds. Shelly didn’t fight him when he tilted her head for a better angle. Max growled. That simple act of submission fed the alpha inside him. He pressed her back to the arm of the couch. She opened her thighs making room for him between them. Max ground his hard cock against the seam of jeans. Shelly whimpered when he made contact with her clit. They were like a couple of teenagers dry humping on a fucking couch. He wanted more. He needed more.

  Chapter 14

  Max ended the kiss and gazed in to his mate’s eyes. What he saw had him grinding against her again. Want, need, and lust filled her beautiful emerald eyes. There was something else there, but he was reluctant to put a name to it.

  “I can smell your need, Mate.” His voice distorted by his own arousal. Max fought his beast and the urge to rip her clothes off and take her here and now.

  “Oh, god.” Shelly covered her face with her hands. He gently tugged them away from her bright red face. Max would not allow her to hide. She had no reason to be embarrassed. They were mates. Her arousal was a gift.

  “Don’t hide from me. You have nothing to be ashamed of.” He leaned in and ran his tongue down her neck. He could feel the rapid beat of her heart on his tongue. “I want you as much as you want me, in case you can’t tell.” He ground his hard cock against her clit. She buried her hands in his hair and returned the favor. Max could feel the heat of her core through his jeans. He could smell her cream. He had to taste her.

  “Let me ease your need, Mate,” he whispered in her ear. “Let me strip you, taste you, and make you come on my tongue.”

  Max felt a moment a fear when she stilled beneath him and pushed on his shoulder. He straightened his arms so he could look down at her. His fear eased when she wrapped her thighs around his waist holding him in place. She wasn’t afraid, but she did look…worried.

  “What is it, Mate? If you aren’t ready for that, it’s okay.”

  “It’s not that. It’s… I… Imavirgin.” She ran the words together so fast he thought about teasing her, but he didn’t think she would take it well. She looked mortified as if her being a virgin meant she was lacking. It was the exact opposite.

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “I know.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes.”

  She narrowed her eyes and ground her teeth. Her change in mood had him mentally taking a step back.

  “How do you know? Did Fiona say something?”

  Ah. She thought her best friend had been telling tales out of school. He snorted indignantly. “I figured it out on my own. Thank you very much.”

  “
How? Do I have a sign on me or something?”

  “First off, you are far too innocent to be anything but. The tentative way you kiss and touch me, speaks to your lack of experience. No, don’t look like that. It’s not a bad thing. It’s a real turn on to know you trust me in that way. You also, uh, smell like virgin.”

  “Excuse me? Virgins have a smell?”

  “Oh yeah, and it’s hot as hell.”

  “So what does this ‘ode de virgin’ smell like?”

  She was a sassy wench. He leered at her and slowly licked his lips. “Delectable. Fucking edible.”

  Her soft gasp punched him in the gut, sending another wave a need through his body.

  “Will you trust me? Will you trust me to show you how good it will be between us? Just a taste, Doll.”

  He waited and watched the mental battle. Every emotion she felt and every thought that entered her brilliant mind showing on her face. It was a lot to ask of a woman, especially a virgin, and if she decided she wasn’t ready, he would accept it. Max had to remind himself that although it felt right and perfect to him, she was human, and they had only met yesterday. It also had not escaped his notice how tired she looked. Dark circles decorated the skin under eyes. He imagined she didn’t sleep much last night. Between the near mugging and the appearance of his lion, she had enough nightmarish images to fuel a few sleepless nights.

  He knew the second she made her decision. Eagerness and curiosity replaced the worry and insecurity.

  “We can’t do it out here. Fiona could come home anytime and she feeds Emma Grace on this couch. That would be way too many levels of wrong to count.”

  Elation swamped him. He jumped up, plucked her from the couch, threw her over his shoulder, and raced to her bedroom. He unceremoniously removed her from his shoulder and dropped her on the bed. His should apologize for this lack of finesse, but her lilting laughter as she bounced told him there was no need.

  He took a moment to remember her like this. Her hair spread out around her head like a blond halo, cheeks flush with excitement, and crystalline eyes that shone with adoration, for him. Her open playful expression was the sexiest most provocative thing he had ever seen. Max was truly and irrevocably in love with her. He would keep the words to himself for now. She wasn’t ready to hear them, but he could show her.