“You know we support you, Liam. I’ll spread word around the pack to find another place to get their sweets.” Bran bounced Landon, who was now all smiles and blowing kisses to Liam.
Sebastian could see Liam’s eyes softening as he reached for Landon. Bran smiled knowingly as he passed the boy over.
“Have you missed your Uncle Liam? I bet you’ve missed Uncle Rian, too,” Liam said, kissing the small boy on the neck and making him squeal. Sebastian leaned forward and began to purr. Landon broke out into giggles and began to purr loudly, sounding like an excited kitten.
“We’ll bring them by later in the week. I take it that the two of you…” Kate let the thought trail off as she pointed between Liam and Sebastian. Liam smiled, showing off his even, white teeth against his golden tan.
“Yup, I’ve pretty much pulled my head out of my ass and we’re going to make this work,” Liam said.
“Good! Rebecca and I were planning an intervention. If you hadn’t come into the diner we were going to hunt you down.” Kate’s eyes danced wickedly. Sebastian had to hide a smile as he watched his big, bad Alpha pale and swallow hard.
“No, we’re good! I swear.” Liam nodded.
“We better let Ashby know he may be getting more people in Sweet Nothings, if the pack can’t come here for candy,” Caleb said.
Liam groaned and handed Landon back to Bran.
“Let him know I’m cutting the pride off as well,” Liam offered.
Sebastian winced at the thought of poor Ashby and the increased business, especially since the tiny shifter wanted to spend more time with his prince. His thoughts immediately went to Gabriel’s request.
“Could you…maybe…could you see if some of the wolves could help the vampires integrate more? Most of the town is still afraid of them.” Sebastian spoke quietly. Liam kissed the top of his head. Sebastian relished the feel of his mate’s lips on him.
“Thank you for remembering, baby.” Liam turned to Bran, Kate and Caleb.
“Gabriel is worried that people are still afraid of the vampires. Scared people, especially shifters, may make poor choices on how they react to a perceived threat. Gabriel has invited my lions over for a mixer. You may want to see if you can do the same for the wolves. The last thing we want is tensions getting any higher in Arkadia. Rebecca hasn’t said anything, but I know this has to be weighing heavily on her, since she pushed to have them move here.”
Bran frowned. “We’ll do what we can, but we’re trying to overcome hundreds of years’ worth of fear and distrust.”
“If people see the leaders actively welcoming the vampires, that will go a long way,” Liam said.
“We can do that.” Caleb nodded. Sebastian knew that Caleb had a soft spot for Ashby, since Ashby and Nic had watched the twins for him before Ashby mated.
“Great, I think people just need to see that the vampires aren’t just going to run around town ripping people’s throats out,” Liam said, rubbing a hand up and down Sebastian’s back. It seemed his mate had to touch him as much as he desired to be touched. Sebastian couldn’t be happier.
“No, but David and Daniel might talk them to death.” Kate laughed. Sebastian had to smile. David and Daniel were trouble.
“That’s the honest truth,” Bran said, kissing the top of Landon’s head.
“Okay, we’re off to find Ashby, then get to our picnic. See you guys later,” Caleb said, taking Lucas’s hand and helping him wave bye-bye. Liam and Sebastian waved as they walked away.
“Come on, kitten, let’s go home,” Liam said, and Sebastian loved the sound of that.
Chapter 2
As they walked through the door, they passed Rian and Damian heading out.
“Ri, can you let the pride know that we are no longer buying anything at Bobbles and Things? If you have to special order something let me know, I’ll help defray the cost.” Liam kept walking with Sebastian as if he hadn’t given Rian a reason for a total meltdown.
“Why the hell not!” he demanded, sputtering. More than half the pride was standing around them acting as if they were already starting withdrawal symptoms.
“Because he has strong opinions about Alphas who are cocksucking gays. He also shared that my parents would be ashamed of their only son,” Liam said bitterly.
Rian’s head snapped up and he opened his mouth as a long hiss escaped.
“That bigoted motherfucker! Come on, Damian,” Rian said, turning towards the door. Damian and, surprisingly, Talon and Rex started to follow.
“Riiiaaann. Don’t cause any trouble,” Liam warned. Rian turned back to his Alpha, a bright happy smile on his face.
“Trust me,” he sang, and the four walked out. Liam sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“They’ll be fine. At least Rebecca isn’t involved,” Sebastian offered. Liam looked up and gave a half smile.
“Thank heaven for small favors. Come on, kitten, let me show you the house.” Liam pulled Sebastian close.
“Through there is the kitchen and…” Liam said walking through the house. Sebastian stopped and stared at the floor.
“I know,” he whispered. Liam stopped walking and then turned around. When Sebastian looked up, he could see the muscle in Liam’s jaw working before a tight smile crossed his face.
“I keep forgetting that you’ve been here before.” Liam sighed and dropped his head back. He took a deep breath, and when his head came back up his smile was gentle but his eyes were sad.
“Come on, kitten, let’s go to the library. From what I can remember of your cat days, you liked that room the most.” Liam held out his hand. Sebastian jumped forward and grabbed it. He rubbed his cheek along Liam’s hand similar to the way Liam had done to his at the diner. Liam’s face brightened and his smiled widened. Wordlessly, they walked through the house until they were in the pride’s library.
The library was Sebastian’s favorite place, because this is where he had made the most friends in his cat form. The gentlemen 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 certain pride members slip into the library to sneak a book or five. There was one lion who 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, visibly 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 became harsh. When Sebastian looked at his mate he could see that Liam was barely holding back his 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.
&
nbsp; “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. 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 the old man 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. Grandfather found me, Rian and Damian drunker than hell out in the pool. I swear we may have accidently 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 and his entire face lit up. Liam’s breath caught at the unguarded moment with his mate. He leaned deep into the cushions.
“What about your parents?” Liam asked softly. And just like that, Sebastian’s laughter died and his face shut down. He looked down and shrugged. Liam was beginning to hate that shrug, because he recognized it as the defensive measure it was.
“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 and wrapped his arms around his body.
“Then what happened?” Liam peeled Sebastian’s hands away from his body and slowly rubbed small circles into the back of Sebastian’s hands.
“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 at Sebastian.
“But I have you now, and you won’t betray me, and you have me, and I will always love you,” Sebastian said as his cheeks turned red. Liam felt his breath catch.
“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 coming 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 fa
ce 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 to the left 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 3
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.