A Prideful Mate by Amber Kell Page A

I borrow one of your computers?” Tia called across the room.
    Adrian lifted his head from Talan’s lap. “No problem. Use the laptop with the green case.”
    “Okay.”
    A PRIDEFUL MATE
    Amber Kell
    7
    Adrian was weird about his computers, but since they contained his livelihood, Kevin didn’t hold it against him.
    Kevin didn’t speak while Tia dragged him into Adrian’s new office. The wolf’s digs were amazing. There was a wall of glass that looked out across their forested property with a special coating that darkened when it was bright outside. The furniture was comfortable leather, and his work desk, covered with a multitude of computers, spread along an entire wall.
    Interspersed throughout the room were display cabinets encasing limited edition paraphernalia from video games Adrian had worked on, including a full reproduction of an ogre axe with a real blade.
    Shaking his head at the wolf’s outlandish collection, Kevin watched Tia grab the green laptop and open the case.
    “Come sit here,” she said, pointing to the chair beside her.
    Sighing, Kevin plopped down onto the spot indicated. He knew better than to argue.
    It only took her a moment to get to the site. The dating home page showed a bunch of people gazing with disgusting adoration into each other’s eyes.
    “I bet they used actors,” Kevin grumbled. Even as he said it, he doubted they did. The pairs had the same expression in their eyes Adrian and Talan did when they looked at each other.
    “Stop it.” Tia nudged Kevin in the shoulder. “Let’s do a little shopping shall we?”
    “Don’t we have to sign up for this?”
    “Nope, see.” She pointed to the note in the corner of the screen. It stated viewing was free. He would only have to sign up if he wanted to communicate with one of their members.
    “Fair enough, but once we’re done looking over these losers I’m going to have a big lunch and a nap. If you’re good, I’ll let you fix it for me.”
    “And if I’m bad?” Tia asked with a smile.
    “Then you can fix me dinner too.”
    The lioness laughed. “Lucky me.”
    They sat in companionable silence as they clicked through the pictures.
    “He’s cute,” Tia said about a gold-haired man with brown eyes.
    “He’s straight.”
    A PRIDEFUL MATE
    Amber Kell
    8
    “It says here he likes guys.”
    Kevin shrugged. “Maybe he’s confused.”
    Tia laughed. “What about that one?”
    “Too short. I like them taller.”
    “Adrian’s short.”
    “Adrian is prettier.”
    “True.”
    Tia clicked through several screens. They laughed over the goofier pictures and sighed at the romantic ones, but neither of them showed any interest in a particular member. Tia sped through the next three.
    “Stop.”
    “What? Did you see something?”
    Tia clicked back a couple of times before Kevin had her stop again.
    “Him?”
    “Yeah.” Kevin set his chin on his hand and gazed longingly at the screen.
    “Hmmm. Really?”
    Kevin nodded. “He’s the one.”
    “Like, the one?”
    “Yeah, my mate.”
    “How can you tell from a photo?”
    “Talan could tell from Adrian’s photo,” Kevin pointed out.
    “True.”
    They both stared at the screen for a moment.
    “Want to sign up and send him a note?”
    “No, I want to hunt ‘im down, strip ‘im and lick ‘im like a lollipop.”
    “Eww,” Tia laughed. “That’s way more information than I need.” Kevin shrugged. “I’ll settle for an email.”
    “How generous of you.”
    A few screens later Kevin was signed up and ready to send his first email to his mate.
    * * * *
    A PRIDEFUL MATE
    Amber Kell
    9
    Payce arrived at his apartment bruised and tired. He was going to find a new job any day now. If he had to take any more crap from that foreman he was going to rip the man’s arm off and beat him with it. Bastard wasn’t looking earlier and nailed Payce in the head with a two by four. If he weren’t a werejaguar, he’d probably be dead.
    As it was, the jaguar inside him was