Chapter One
Kevin looked out the window at the pride of lions sunning on the porch, and released the sigh building in his chest. Leaning against the window frame he thought over his life. As much as he loved the ladies, the addition of Adrian, the alpha’s mate, brought back feelings he’d long suppressed. The craving for the touch of another man burned through him each time he saw Talon stroke Adrian’s skin.
Kevin didn’t want Adrian for himself—he wasn’t suicidal—but the looks exchanged between the mated pair reminded Kevin how good it could be with another man.
Equal.
As much as he loved the lush feel of a woman’s body, he’d always known it was the hard form of a man he preferred. Now that he had two cubs of his own, it was time to find his mate.
“Thinking about leaving us?” Tia, the mother of his little boys, wrapped her arms around his waist, settling her chin on his shoulder.
Kevin knew she was asking, more for curiosity, than that she cared if he left the pride.
Tia was more than capable of raising their boys, but she was his friend and cared for him in her own offhand lion way.
Kevin sighed again. “Not really.” He nodded towards the couch where Adrian was curled up beside Talon. For a lone wolf, the smaller man was a cuddler. “Just wishing for a mate of my own, I want what they have.”
Tia tilted her head. “Extremely loud sex?”
Kevin threw back his head, laughing. “No. Well, I wouldn’t object to that either, but I meant a relationship with a guy.”
“Pickings are a little lean on the mountain, big guy,” Tia said, releasing him and giving him an affectionate pat on his back. “Maybe you should ask Adrian if he knows anyone.” Shaking his head, Kevin looked at the pair. “I don’t think I could go for a wolf. Don’t get me wrong,” he held up his hands to ward off a blow, “there’s nothing wrong with Adrian. I just have a feeling my mate will be feline.” He took a careful step away from Tia in A PRIDEFUL MATE
Amber Kell
6
case she decided to attack anyway. The females were psychotically attached to Adrian, mostly because he made them chocolate treats. They all purred whenever he stepped foot into the kitchen. Kevin suspected Adrian laced his brownies with catnip, but he’d yet been able to catch the wolf at it.
Tia frowned. “There aren’t any other prides nearby. Oh!” Her face lit up. “What about that new dating service.”
Kevin let his expression show his opinion of that idea. “I’m not signing up with Werekin Wanted. I don’t care if they guarantee a match or your money back.”
“Hah!” Tia pointed an accusatory finger at him. “You looked into them.” Kevin blushed. He hated to admit it. He had considered the site. Shit, he was getting desperate, but as Tia said there weren’t a lot of choices up on the mountain.
“I might have looked at the site, but I don’t think I can go through with it. I mean how pathetic is a guy who finds someone through an online dating service?”
“About as pathetic as a guy who’s afraid to try because he might fail,” Tia said. She nudged him with her shoulder. “The boys are old enough that you don’t need to be here all the time. They aren’t babies.”
“I know.” How could he explain that he had an unnatural affection for his children?
Most lions would’ve moved on after his babies were born, but Kevin adored his five and seven-year-old and couldn’t bear to leave them.
“I’m not saying you have to go,” Tia said, as if reading his mind. “We all love having you here, we just want you to be happy.”
“I know, darlin’.” He gave the female lion an affectionate smile. “You’re sweet on me.” Tia gave a snort. “You may be great in bed, darlin’,” she said, mimicking his accent,
“but we both know it isn’t a love connection.” Kevin smiled back. “But we’ve had some fun.”
“Yes, we have.” Tia grabbed his wrist. “Now come with me.”
“Hey, Adrian, can
Kevin looked out the window at the pride of lions sunning on the porch, and released the sigh building in his chest. Leaning against the window frame he thought over his life. As much as he loved the ladies, the addition of Adrian, the alpha’s mate, brought back feelings he’d long suppressed. The craving for the touch of another man burned through him each time he saw Talon stroke Adrian’s skin.
Kevin didn’t want Adrian for himself—he wasn’t suicidal—but the looks exchanged between the mated pair reminded Kevin how good it could be with another man.
Equal.
As much as he loved the lush feel of a woman’s body, he’d always known it was the hard form of a man he preferred. Now that he had two cubs of his own, it was time to find his mate.
“Thinking about leaving us?” Tia, the mother of his little boys, wrapped her arms around his waist, settling her chin on his shoulder.
Kevin knew she was asking, more for curiosity, than that she cared if he left the pride.
Tia was more than capable of raising their boys, but she was his friend and cared for him in her own offhand lion way.
Kevin sighed again. “Not really.” He nodded towards the couch where Adrian was curled up beside Talon. For a lone wolf, the smaller man was a cuddler. “Just wishing for a mate of my own, I want what they have.”
Tia tilted her head. “Extremely loud sex?”
Kevin threw back his head, laughing. “No. Well, I wouldn’t object to that either, but I meant a relationship with a guy.”
“Pickings are a little lean on the mountain, big guy,” Tia said, releasing him and giving him an affectionate pat on his back. “Maybe you should ask Adrian if he knows anyone.” Shaking his head, Kevin looked at the pair. “I don’t think I could go for a wolf. Don’t get me wrong,” he held up his hands to ward off a blow, “there’s nothing wrong with Adrian. I just have a feeling my mate will be feline.” He took a careful step away from Tia in A PRIDEFUL MATE
Amber Kell
6
case she decided to attack anyway. The females were psychotically attached to Adrian, mostly because he made them chocolate treats. They all purred whenever he stepped foot into the kitchen. Kevin suspected Adrian laced his brownies with catnip, but he’d yet been able to catch the wolf at it.
Tia frowned. “There aren’t any other prides nearby. Oh!” Her face lit up. “What about that new dating service.”
Kevin let his expression show his opinion of that idea. “I’m not signing up with Werekin Wanted. I don’t care if they guarantee a match or your money back.”
“Hah!” Tia pointed an accusatory finger at him. “You looked into them.” Kevin blushed. He hated to admit it. He had considered the site. Shit, he was getting desperate, but as Tia said there weren’t a lot of choices up on the mountain.
“I might have looked at the site, but I don’t think I can go through with it. I mean how pathetic is a guy who finds someone through an online dating service?”
“About as pathetic as a guy who’s afraid to try because he might fail,” Tia said. She nudged him with her shoulder. “The boys are old enough that you don’t need to be here all the time. They aren’t babies.”
“I know.” How could he explain that he had an unnatural affection for his children?
Most lions would’ve moved on after his babies were born, but Kevin adored his five and seven-year-old and couldn’t bear to leave them.
“I’m not saying you have to go,” Tia said, as if reading his mind. “We all love having you here, we just want you to be happy.”
“I know, darlin’.” He gave the female lion an affectionate smile. “You’re sweet on me.” Tia gave a snort. “You may be great in bed, darlin’,” she said, mimicking his accent,
“but we both know it isn’t a love connection.” Kevin smiled back. “But we’ve had some fun.”
“Yes, we have.” Tia grabbed his wrist. “Now come with me.”
“Hey, Adrian, can
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