by Alanea Alder
The library was Sebastian's favorite place, because this is where he had made the most friends as a cat. The men that lived here always seemed to be in need of a snuggle here, a purr there, or the simple contact that a cat provided. They needed human contact more, but like himself, they were too afraid to reach out.
Sebastian knew a lot of people thought that the lions were a lazy bunch who weren't very bright or accomplished. But, when he stayed here as a cat, he watched many of the pride members slip into the library to sneak a book or five.
One lion in particular had quickly become one of Sebastian's favorites. Kyle had been kicked out of his familial pride when he was twelve years old. He had been found kissing the Alpha's son. He worked hard every night in the library trying to earn his GED. Since he suffered from anxiety attacks in public settings, it made the local high school impossible to attend.
"Come here, kitten," Liam said, bringing Sebastian back to the present. He patted the leather sofa beside him. Sebastian walked over and sat down, fidgeting under his mate's gaze.
"Sebastian, do you think I would ever hurt you?"
Sebastian shrugged. "I know that you would never hurt me. In my head I know we are mates. But sometimes it's harder to make my fear understand." Sebastian murmured as he pulled at the threads on the pillow.
"Do you know why I was so upset?" Liam reached forward and lightly began to run his hand up and down Sebastian's arm. Sebastian shook his head, relaxing at the gentle touch.
"I was upset that you didn't trust me. That you were hurting and I wasn't there for you. From the little I was told of what you endured, it was horrific, and it tears me up inside to imagine you in a cage." Liam's voice turned harsh as he bit off each word.
When Sebastian looked at his mate, he could see that Liam was barely holding back tears. Without another thought he climbed into Liam's lap and wrapped his arms around his mate, holding him close as his legs straddled the man's thighs.
"I've been waiting for my mate ever since I heard about what they were," Liam said into Sebastian's shoulder.
"How old were you?" Sebastian asked.
"Five," Liam mumbled.
Sebastian felt a grin form. "Five? What did your parents tell you?"
"Parents? My parents didn't do parental things like explaining mates, or going to track meets or graduations or anything like that. I asked Ma about it one day after school because Aleks said that he wanted a mate for Christmas, because he wanted to be mated like his Ma and Pa one day."
Sebastian could hear the love in his voice for the Arkadions, but surprisingly nothing but scorn for his own parents.
"Where are your parents?" Sebastian asked.
Liam sat up and looked his small mate in the eye. "After we graduated from college, Rian and Damian came out of the closet. They figured they were grown and felt they shouldn't have to hide. My father motioned to kick them out of the pride." Liam sighed. "I was still trying to figure my own sexuality out, so his reaction pissed me off. The thought of losing my two best friends was too much. They made living in this place bearable. So, I challenged my father for dominance of the pride and won. Refusing to admit he was defeated, my father and my mother rallied their generation together. They all left, including Rian and Damian's parents and siblings. They took pretty much the entire pride with them. My father moved everyone to Florida. Only me, Damian and Rian were left. My father thought that with only three single men left here in Arkadia that my grandfather would let him retain the title as Alpha of the Lewenhart pride." Liam chuckled.
"But the old man refused to move the Lewenhart pride out of Arkadia. My father was furious for having lost the title of Alpha to one of the most prestigious prides in the world. I can remember grandfather coming to Arkadia after a heated discussion with my father, where my father threatened to go before the council accusing me of dereliction of duty when it came to running the pride. He found me, Rian and Damian drunker than hell out in the pool. I swear we may have accidentally drowned ourselves if he hadn't pulled us out of the water. He waited until morning then held reveille on our asses." Liam tightened his hold around Sebastian's waist.
"He pulled me around by the hair and threw my ass into my father's chair in the office. Rian and Damian were yelling and waving their arms behind us. He asked me what I was doing with the pride. I remember laughing that there wasn't a pride. He just asked what I planned on doing about that." Liam shook his head.
"Flippantly, I told him I was going to open the pride to any gay lion that had been kicked out of their home, so they had a place to go. The old man just stood there and then for the first time in my life he smiled at me. I'll never forget what he said next." Liam subconsciously was rubbing up and down Sebastian's sides. Sebastian leaned forward, eyes wide.
"What happened then?" he asked eagerly. Liam looked surprised for a moment and then continued.
"He said 'If anyone was ever destined to be the Alpha of a pride of gay lions, Liam, it's you. Give our lost sons a home.' Then he left. Rian and Damian got really excited. Well, you've seen them. They are like little terriers with a bone when they latch onto a project. We got the word out that we were accepting gay lions and Arkadia was a safe place to go. We slowly started filling the pride house." Liam smirked and then laughed out loud.
"At one point, Rian had 'Gay? Head our Way' T-shirts all over the damn place. I told Rian I would choke him with one if he didn't get rid of them." Sebastian started giggling.
"What about your parents?" Liam asked softly. And just like that, Sebastian's laughter died. He looked down and shrugged.
"What happened, baby?" Liam coaxed.
"Last year, after I graduated from college, I got a job out of state. My family was extremely well off so they didn't have to work. So, when I decided to move, they wanted to move with me. They let me pick out a condo then bought a home nearby. We petitioned the local wolf pack for membership. They agreed. In the spirit of full disclosure, my parents advised of what they were and what I was. They had no problems with it. I started my job and things were great. The second full moon, the Alpha summoned my parents before the pack and accused them of conspiring to murder him to take control of the pack. Death by challenge is completely acceptable, but as you know, murder is an unforgivable offense."
Liam nodded.
"I joined the meeting late and arrived just in time to see him shoot my parents in the head at point-blank range. I lost control and shifted to my tiger. But, he was ready, they shot me full of a drug that forced me to shift to human. Once human, the Alpha said I had a choice. Shift to a small animal and get in the cage or die with my parents. So I shifted and got in the cage." Sebastian sat back on Liam's lap needing the distance. He wrapped his arms around his waist feeling shaky.
"Then what happened?" Liam peeled Sebastian's hands away from his body and slowly rubbed small circles into the back of Sebastian's hands with his thumbs.
"He sold me to another wolf Alpha. Alpha Devon was collecting hybrids, he had shifters in tiny cages in his workshop. He had been collecting for years, waiting for the right price. He said we were worth a lot of money. Sometimes they wouldn't feed us. Or they would pull us from the cages and beat us. Most had given up hope when Peyton pulled the lever that opened all the cages and set us free." Sebastian gripped Liam's hand so tight that his knuckles were turning white.
"You were betrayed by the very people who were supposed to protect you, and I was abandoned by the people who were supposed to love me. We're a matched pair, aren't we?" Liam smiled sadly.
"But I have you now, and you won't betray me, and you have me, and I will always love you," Sebastian said as he felt his cheeks warm.
Liam's breath caught. "Will you, baby? Will you love me?"
Sebastian nodded. "I started falling in love with you when I watched you comfort Rebecca in the alley the day we met. I was there when you guarded Rian and the twins when the hyenas attacked. You're the most amazing man I have ever met," Sebastian admitted. Liam simply leaned
forward and captured his lips.
Sebastian dissolved as their lips met. Finally! He was finally kissing his mate. At first the kiss was hesitant and tender. But when he nipped playfully at Liam's bottom lip, his lion's eyes darkened, and he demanded Sebastian open his lips to him. Once admitted, he took full advantage and tongue-fucked his mate's mouth. Sebastian moaned and started to thrust his hips forward. Liam pulled back and grinned playfully at his mate.
"To think we could have been doing this for months," Liam said good-naturedly.
Sebastian flushed. "I tried to let you know, in my own way. I was always jumping into your lap and purring around you."
"Yeah, but you jumped into Kent's lap and purred around him, too," Liam said, smiling.
Sebastian felt the blood drain from his face. Liam's eyes widened. Sebastian was sure Liam could hear his heart rate start pounding out double time.
"Baby?"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know what to do." Sebastian started shaking in his mate's arms. He could hear Liam's breathing become erratic.
"Wait, are you telling me what I think you're telling me?" He asked. Sebastian could hear the strain in Liam's words as if he were trying to keep his voice even.
"Kent smells good to me like you do. He is my mate, too." Sebastian felt his fear rise as Liam's breathing became more erratic.
"Please," Sebastian whimpered, and brought his arms up over his face.
"Baby, look at me." Liam said evenly.
Sebastian looked up. Liam had tears streaming down his face.
"I will never, ever hurt you. I swear it. Please don't turn from me in fear," Liam moved his hand over Sebastian's hair.
"I'm sorry!" Sebastian cried before he flung himself completely into Liam's arms. He wrapped his arms around his mate and tried to bury his face in his sternum.
"This is all I wanted, baby. For you to need me. My parents didn't want me anymore, I couldn't stand it if my mate turned from me too." Liam said, burying his face in Sebastian's neck.
"I do, I do, I do!" Sebastian chanted brokenly.
"Shush, kitten. I have you now. Are you sure about Kent?"
Sebastian looked up and nodded.
"Is there anything else you need to tell me? Now is the time to get it out," Liam said.
Sebastian's eyes darted away as he hesitated for a second. "There's one more thing, I promise to tell you, can it just be later?" Sebastian asked.
"Just one more thing, that's it? Are you sure?"
Sebastian nodded. "Yes, I'm sure."
"Okay, then. As long as you promise to tell me later, I'm okay with not knowing now. Wow. Okay, let's go see our mate." Liam took a deep breath and cupped Sebastian's face. "It's gonna be okay, kitten. You'll see."
Sebastian rubbed his cheek against Liam's open palm before sitting back and nodding.
"Okay, let's go."
Chapter Three
Sebastian walked hand in hand with Liam as they left the library and headed to Liam's office. Without knocking, Liam opened the door.
"Oh good, you're back. If you didn't need to do actual work in this office I would ban you from it. You are a complete slob when it comes to paperwork," Kent said, without looking up. When he did finally tear his eyes from the screen, he smiled.
"I see that you've resolved things with Sebastian. Good. Maybe you can concentrate on your overdue reports. Your grandfather called while you were out and wants your feedback regarding the pride-to-pride transfer policy," Kent said from behind the computer monitor.
Liam scowled. "He already knows how I feel about the delays in pride to pride transfers, especially for gay males," Liam said, stepping away from Sebastian and walked around the desk to stand next to Kent.
"Yes, but as pride Alpha, you need to send him an official document with your position so he can use it in council." Kent looked up at Liam, his baby blue eyes smiling.
Sebastian shifted his weight. He felt like an outsider watching them discuss pride politics. Kent and Liam's eyes found their way to Sebastian.
"Have you two come to complete our mating?" Kent asked, looking from Sebastian to Liam.
"How in the hell did you know that?" Liam demanded.
Kent shrugged. "I could scent that Sebastian was my mate when we ran into each other last week at the diner. I knew that you and he were having issues so I decided not to press my claim until after the two of you had worked things out. So, I figured since he's here and you're okay with him being here then the time has come to claim each other. Am I wrong?" Kent asked, looking from Sebastian to Liam and back.
"Well no, I mean yes, no. What?" Liam babbled.
"Time. For. Sex?" Kent drew out each word, his blue eyes sparkling.
"Yes!" Both Liam and Sebastian replied.
Liam's hands immediately went to his jeans. He let them drop, stepping out of them as he pulled his T-shirt off over his head. He stood naked in front of his mates and looked from one to the other. Sebastian felt his mouth begin to water as he stared at the ten-inch cock that was already dripping cum from its slit. His hands froze mid-attempt at unbuttoning his jeans. He looked over to Kent. He wore the same gob-smacked expression he was sure was on his own face. Kent's hands hovered over his tailored shirt's buttons.
"You went commando?" Kent asked, in a harsh whisper. Liam gave a slow smile.
"Always, my mate. Always." Liam winked before his features turned into a frown.
"You know this will only work if we're all naked," he said matter-of-factly.
Sebastian unfroze and practically ripped his jeans off before removing his shirt. He shimmied out of his boxers and turned to look at Kent, who was slowly and methodically removing each article of clothing before carefully folding each piece and stacking them neatly on his desk.
"Okay, how bad does it make me that I can't wait to get my neat mate sweaty and dirty?" Liam asked with a leer. Sebastian laughed as Kent blushed. He had removed everything but his boxer briefs as he stood in front of Sebastian and Liam with his hands crossed over his groin, looking embarrassed.
Smiling gently, Liam walked over to Kent and removed his hands from over his groin, taking each of his hands in his own.
"Sweetheart, there is no reason to be embarrassed. We're your mates. We're not going to judge." Liam leaned up, closing the small gap in their height, and ran his tongue up the side of Kent's neck.
Sebastian watched the erotic scene and felt his prick begin to fill. Kent's knees buckled and Liam's quickly wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him close. Sebastian stepped closer to Kent and ran his hands up and down his chest, grazing the top of Liam's forearm, sending shivers through both of his mates.
"Sweetheart, be honest, how experienced are you?" Liam asked softly. Kent began to struggle to get out of their arms.
"Sweetheart! What is the matter?" Liam said trying to hold Kent.
"There's nothing wrong if you don't have a lot of experience. I wish I didn't have some of the experience I did. Dating is like walking through a minefield," Sebastian said, laying his head on Kent's chest.
Kent stopped his thrashing and looked down at Sebastian, his eyes wide and full of sympathy. "Oh my God, Sebastian, I didn't think about that. I was just embarrassed because the two of you are gorgeous. I'm tall, goofy and awkward. Never in a million did I think Fate would've matched me with two men like you." Kent leaned forward and kissed Sebastian on the forehead.
"You are tall. I don't know who told you that you were goofy and awkward, but they were wrong. You have a lean, muscled build that I want to explore and lick every inch of. When you have your glasses on and are working on something you look like a powerful executive, and I want to be your naughty personal assistant." Sebastian purred up at Kent.
"The glasses really are fucking hot," Liam agreed, and resumed placing gentle kisses along Kent's neck.
"I wasn't always like this. In college I was so thin and lanky that it was almost impossible to find clothes. The only guy that I ever expressed interest in
told me he didn't fuck sticks. After that I stayed to myself," Kent admitted, hanging his head.
Sebastian's mouth dropped. "Well, you have definitely filled out, my mate. And I can't wait to discover every inch of you. I think it's hot that Liam and I will be your firsts." Sebastian rubbed his cheek against Kent's chest. He stepped back and, looking up into Kent's face, he slowly ran his hands down his body and into Kent's boxer briefs. Kent kept eye contact with Sebastian until his hands found their prize. Sebastian watched the look of surprised ecstasy cross Kent's face and redoubled his efforts. Taking his mate's low moan as a green light, he dropped to his knees, pulled Kent's boxers down and helped him step out of them. His mate's cock was huge! It was at least eleven inches long and so thick he seriously doubted he would be able to fit it in his mouth. He looked up and saw Kent and Liam watching him with rapt attention. Feeling bolder than he ever had before in the bedroom, he wrapped his hands at the base of the thick prize and began to swallow his mate down.
He heard Kent begin to incoherently babble, and mentally gave himself a high five.
"Play with his balls, kitten," Liam ordered, his eyes never leaving Sebastian's efforts. Sebastian reached up and rolled his mate's balls in his hands.
"Please, please, please more. I need more," Kent begged.
Sebastian swallowed more of Kent's cock down and began to convulse his throat muscles to work Kent's dick. He felt Liam walk past him and heard the open and close of a desk drawer. A few seconds later he felt Kent widen his stance and gasp. Sebastian could feel his fingers brush Liam's as his Alpha prepared Kent's virgin hole.
"Fuck! I like that, I really, really fucking love that!" he heard Kent exclaim, and felt his mates balls draw up close to his body. He pulled back, letting Kent's prick pop from his mouth.
"He's close. I'm going to stretch myself for him. You can be his first time bottoming while I'll be his first time topping." Sebastian knelt.