A Prideless Man Read online

  Chapter Four

  “So you’re telling me you aren’t responsible for my sister’s kidnapping?” Dennis asked.

  Lou, James, his father and most of the lion pride stood in their enormous living room.

  “That’s what I’m saying.”

  Dennis threw himself into an overstuffed chair. “Then she’s gone. I don’t know how to find her.”

  Lou cleared his throat. “I can loan you KC.”

  “KC?” Dennis looked up at him. Lou could see the despair in the other man’s eyes.

  “My tech guy. He can find anything or anyone.” The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. Besides, KC could use something else to focus on besides Lou’s love life.

  “Let me call him and see if he has the time. It would be best if he does his work from the office—he has the software there.” He looked over at his mate. “I can ask him to find your mother if you’d like.”

  James shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.”

  “I’d like it if you don’t mind asking,” Andrew spoke up. The older man’s eyes pleaded with him to help.

  “Okay.” Lou thought it would be good for both of them to find out what had happened to the white lion. Why she abandoned her young.

  A quick phone call to the fox shifter had him sending the coyote shifter, Dennis, on his way.

  KC loved research. Finding Dennis’ sister would make his day.

  “After hearing what you’ve said about PAW I’m going to disband the group, or at least my participation in it. I can’t stay with a group who wants to destroy shifters. I have issues with your kind but I didn’t plan to become a leader of kidnappers and killers.” Andrew’s face was troubled.

  “What about James’ medication? Dr Henrickson thinks we need to wean slowly from it or it could kill him.”

  Andrew nodded. “He’s been on it most of his life. It would be too great a shock to stop his intake completely. I’d be willing to work with your doctor and give him the proper medications. If James can fully shift he shouldn’t be on it any longer.”

  Lou didn’t quite trust his mate’s father yet. James suffered his entire life because of this man, good intentions or not. He wasn’t as ready as his mate to forgive and forget.

  Before he could say anything else, James’ eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell to the floor.

  “Shit!” James’ father rushed to his son’s side. From his jacket pocket he pulled a small injector and quickly plunged it into his son’s arm.

  Lou ran to James, falling to his knees beside his mate’s father. He growled at Andrew. “What did you give him?”

  “A concentrated dosage of medicine.”

  “That’s what sent him to the hospital last time.”

  Andrew shook his head. “I doubt it. I’ll have to run some tests to see how his body has changed since his first shift, but my medication is made to stop this exact thing.”

  “Well, your medication is wrong.”

  Fury rushed through Lou. James’ father refused to see the danger to his own son. He would’ve argued further but James calmed, his breathing evened out and his entire body relaxed. The scent of panic vanished along with his symptoms.

  Andrew gave him a smug look but refrained from stating the obvious.

  “Last time he took a shot he ended up in the hospital.”

  “Do you still have the syringe?”

  “Dr Henrickson might.”

  “Call him. I want to examine the vial.”

  Lou called the hospital. Because of his job he had them on speed dial. A brief conversation with the doctor concluded he still had the vial on hand.

  “Doc Henrickson saved it for study.”

  “Excellent. If I can get someone to take me over there.”

  “You can borrow one of the pack cars until you get yours back,” Talan graciously offered.

  “Yeah, we’ve got tons of tanks.” Adrian smirked.

  “Maybe if you drove a tank yours wouldn’t be in the shop so much.” Talan teased, taking a careful step back from his mate.

  Lou shook his head at their antics. He would’ve offered to take the other man but he needed to speak to his mate.

  After making sure his son was feeling better, Andrew made a quick farewell and left.

  “That was unexpected,” Talan said to the room at large. “I was expecting to hate him.”

  “Me too,” James said in a wondering tone.

  Lou wrapped an arm around his mate, snuggling with him on the couch where they set him after his attack. “I’d like to take you home with me. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

  James gave him a nervous smile. “Okay.”

  * * * *

  The drive over to the sheriff’s place was made in silence. James didn’t know what to say and Lou appeared to be holding back. The quiet broke when they pulled up in front of a large farmhouse with a wrap-around porch.

  “Here it is. Not super fancy but all mine.”

  The house was painted white with red trim and screamed it was someone’s home. James liked it immediately.

  “It’s nice.”

  The sheriff gave him a wide smile. “Thanks, I’ve been working on it whenever I have free time.”

  “Maybe when I’m feeling better I can help,” James offered without thinking. Hell, he was already making plans with a man he barely knew. This mate stuff was bullshit. How could he fight a compulsion to settle down with the bear of his dreams when every fibre of his being yearned towards claiming the other man as his?

  “I’d like that.”

  James’ heart skipped a beat beneath the bear shifter’s gaze.

  “Come inside, we need to talk.”

  James sighed. Never in his life had any pleasant conversation began with that phrase.

  Sighing, he left the shelter of the truck and headed for the front porch. By the time he got there Lou was already unlocking the front door. The medicine his father gave him made his reactions sluggish but watching Lou’s ass ahead of him perked him up in more ways than one.

  Lou flashed him a shy smile over his shoulder as he held the screen to let James in before him.

  He was glad he’d retrieved his cane from the pride house. It was difficult enough to walk with the drugs in his system, the erection made the trek all the more challenging. As he stepped past the other man, he heard Lou inhale deeply and tried not to let it freak him out. He wondered what he smelt like.

  “You smell amazing.”

  It was like Lou read his mind.

  Trying not to show his nerves, he entered the farmhouse and stopped short at the entrance.

  “Wow.”

  A cavernous great room with exposed wooden beams flowed to an open gourmet kitchen complete with granite countertop and stainless steel double ovens.

  “Do you like to cook?”

  Lou smiled. “I like to eat. That usually leads to me cooking.”

  “Huh. I can’t cook at all.”

  “Then you obviously need someone to take care of you.” The bear looked ridiculously pleased at the notion as if he were excited to be the one to take care of James.

  “I was sort of hoping I would become strong enough I could take care of myself for a change.”

  Lou shook his head. “I don’t think you understand the mate concept yet. We are supposed to take care of each other.”

  James thought it over. “I like that idea.” He didn’t mind someone taking care of him as long as it was reciprocal. The thought of taking care of the big sexy shifter appealed to him.

  Lou closed the door, locking it behind him. “Come sit over on the couch, we have some things to straighten out.”

  Hobbling over to the furniture, James plunked down less than gracefully onto the surface. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

  “Don’t worry, love. Before you know it you’ll be as graceful as a cat.”

  “Hopefully not only when I’m in cat form.” James frowned, the hand on his cane shaking slightly. “You real
ly think I’ll be able to control my shift without the drugs.”

  Lou shrugged. “I don’t know. I do think if you can kick the drugs you’ll be better off. It sounds like your dad had the best intentions and more than likely saved your life. However, now that you’ve proven you can shift, we need to see if you can do it as easily as a full shifter.”

  “Hopefully it won’t take too long. If shifting can cure my problems, my constant pain will be a thing of the past.” He didn’t dare yet dream of being completely pain-free. He’d carried the burden of constant agony his entire life. Even the idea of reduced pain was too much to hope for, like chasing a rainbow and finding the pot of gold.

  Lou placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “We will get through this. Whether your pain disappears or not, we’re meant to be together. Once you’ve understood that fact everything else will be easy.”

  James laughed. “Will it? Is that how things work in your big bear brain?”

  “Yep. Oh, and this.” Before James could say anything else, Lou’s mouth came down, kissing James with a fierce intensity, sending pinpricks of need across his skin and sensitising his flesh to Lou’s every touch. He moaned against the other man’s lips. Dreaming of a lover was nothing like the reality. Lou’s warm body heated him inside, his rough hands brought tingles to his skin and the bear’s low growls made James harder than granite. To know he had this kind of effect on another man, on this man, was the greatest aphrodisiac of all.

  His cock hardened in his pants, pushing against the zipper.

  “I’ll take care of you, babe.” Lou’s deep voice went growly with lust.

  “Good.” He didn’t mind someone taking sexual care of him. He’d dreamed of this moment. Hot, wet dreams that ended with sweat and jism all over his skin.

  “We should probably talk more but I’m going to die if I don’t have you.”

  “I wouldn’t want that to happen,” James said with a smile. “I’m growing rather fond of you.” It was an understatement. He quickly wondered how his life would be without the bear shifter and didn’t like the answer. Lonely. Without the big, caring man beside him he would be lonely. For the first time he felt the lion growling inside him. His inner beast didn’t like the idea of not having the bear around.

  He promptly forgot to think when Lou kissed everything out of his head.

  Feeling took over thought as passion evaporated caution. He needed. A tearing sound filled the air. James’ eyes snapped open to see Lou’s uniform shirt torn in half with a piece in each of his hands.

  “Oops. Sorry.”

  Lou laughed. “Don’t worry. I buy them by the dozen. I’ve had more than one shifting accident.”

  “Ahh.” For the first time James thought about living as a shifter. Would he need lots of clothes to replace things as they tore? Would he be constantly replacing his clothing? With the sheriff as his mate would he even care?

  Without looking, he tossed the shirt pieces over his shoulder. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Dropping his cane, he pounced on the sheriff, sending the laughing man flat on his back onto the couch.

  Smiling down into his mate’s laughing eyes, he dared to imagine the other man as his.

  His mate.

  The lion inside growled approvingly. It liked the idea of the other man belonging to him. “You are mine.”

  Lou gave him a delighted smile. “Yes, I know.”

  Another ripping sound dispensed of James clothes. “Hey, I don’t have extra.”

  “Oops.” Lou tried for an innocent smile but failed completely. It didn’t help when he gave James’ pants the same treatment.

  “Hey.”

  “I’m just a clumsy bear.”

  “Uh, huh. That would explain it then.”

  “It’s nice to have such an understanding mate.”

  James gave a snort of laughter.

  Lou’s expression became serious. “I’ve waited years to find you. Now that I have, you’re more than I could’ve hoped for.”

  “Yeah, because everyone wants a messed up shifter who’s a drug addict.”

  “I do.” Lou kissed his nose. “Besides, you’re only a temporary addict. We’re going to get you fixed up right and then you’ll be the baddest white lion shifter on the block.”

  “I’m the only white lion on the block.”

  “Then you’ll definitely win the contest.”

  “Oh, I think I’ve won more than that. Strip.”

  Lou set James gently to the side before standing up and removing his remaining clothing. Nerves jangling, James looked at his first up-close naked man. His eyes widened as he took in his mate’s large size. The man was big everywhere!

  “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll make sure it fits.” The smile he got was more wolfish than bear-like.

  “Uh-huh.” He glanced at his mate’s cock. “I have doubts that thing is ever going to fit.”

  “You could fuck me instead.”

  James almost came from that thought alone. “You’d let me?”

  Lou nodded. “Why not? That way I don’t have to worry about harming you. You aren’t shifter-tough yet.”

  It never occurred to James to be on top. The novelty must have shown in his eyes because Lou gave a laugh.

  “Where do you want me, handsome?”

  It took him about a second to decide how he wanted his lover. “Across the back of the couch.”

  “You wicked, wicked boy,” Lou teased, bringing a blush to James’ face. Without another word the big shifter kneeled on the couch, presenting himself beautifully. “The lube is in the drawer of the end table.”

  Fury rose hard, fast and unexpected. “Have a lot of couch sex?”

  Lou shook his head. “Jack off a lot watching porn while waiting for my mate.”

  James leaned over, kissing the back of Lou’s neck in a silent apology. He shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but who wouldn’t want to pounce on the sexy bear shifter?

  Shaking nervously, James grabbed the lube. He opened the tube and squeezed it a little too hard, squirting clear liquid everywhere.

  “Damn,” he cursed softly.

  “Problem, love?” Lou’s voice shook with laughter.

  “Shut up.” James snickered.

  “A little less force and a little lower would help greatly.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” James said in a sarcastic voice. This time he squeezed the tube slower, covering his index finger thoroughly with liquid. As much as he yearned to plunge into his lover, he would rather gnaw off his arm than hurt his mate. The lion rose in him, wanting to protect the other man from even him. With care he circled his wet finger around Lou’s rosy hole, slowly moistening the pink pucker.

  “Push it in.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “If you don’t I’m going to finish without you.”

  “Hey, no fair.” James smiled. “You have to wait for me.” Despite their banter, his cock was still hard and dripping, eager to get inside while the rest of him worried about hurting the other man.

  When Lou started moving against him, James slid in a second finger, twisting them around to loosen his lover up. The scent of desire rose in the air, a tempting aroma, luring its lover closer like a siren call to a sailor at sea. James moved closer to nip and lip his way up Lou’s spine, ending at his neck where he couldn’t stop nipping.

  “Ohh, yeah, right there,” Lou sighed.

  Feeling more confident, James added a third finger, pleased with his lover’s encouraging moans.

  “I’m ready. Fuck me, now!”

  “You’re kind of bossy for someone not in charge.”

  Lou looked at James over his shoulder. “Please.” He batted his eyelashes in a ridiculously flirtation manner.

  James slid out his fingers. He almost entered before a stray thought whipped through his head. “Condoms.”

  Lou shook his head. “Shifters can’t get diseases.”

  “Huh, convenient.” James pushed at the tight ring, letting out
a sigh as he slid easily inside until he bottomed out.

  “That’s it, honey. Fuck me like you mean it.”

  “Oh, I mean it,” James said, pumping in and out. There was nothing he meant more. He wanted to hear his lover’s moans. Focusing on his lover, he adjusted his movements to the sounds of his man.

  “There, right there.” Lou reached around in front only to have James slap at his fingers.

  “Mine.” To prove his point, James slammed inside while wrapping his fingers around Lou with a firm grip.

  “Yesss,” the bear shifter hissed.

  Something inside James changed.

  Mine, a soft whisper said inside his head.

  Fangs sliced through his gums, and without thought he plunged them into his mate’s neck.

  Lou roared, liquid pumping out of his cock, spraying the back of the leather couch.

  James felt something pass through his fangs. After a moment the freaky teeth retracted.

  He licked the spot, enamoured with the taste, smell and feel of his lover. In a cloud of lust he finished inside his lover’s ass. Sated, he collapsed against the larger shifter’s back.

  “I hate to object to being your resting spot but this isn’t the best position.”

  “Oh, sorry.” James slid off the couch. As he got to his feet his muscles locked and he started to fall.

  “Gotcha.” A large hand clamped on his arm, preventing his inelegant tumble to the floor.

  “Thanks.” He gave the bear a bashful smile. “I guess I used up all my energy.”

  Lou smiled. “Let’s take a shower. You can lean against me.”

  It was the best invitation he’d ever had.

  Lou’s shower was a study in decadence. James had never seen a rain shower before and the places those side showerheads sprayed were positively indecent.

  “You don’t need a boyfriend with all of these,” he teased.

  True to his word, after washing both of their fronts, Lou rested James against his big muscular chest, carefully washing James’ back, sliding his fingers through his hair.

  Hell, he might never leave this watery paradise.

  “I’ll consider you a supplemental bonus.”

  James snickered. Rubbing against the big guy caused other things to renew interest.