STORY EXCERPT

“Abe, I’m serious. I don’t have time for this. We need to talk.”

To end this.

Abe didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what David’s intentions were.

Since he was young, Abe and his brothers had been trained in ruthless methods, raised in violence and blood. He thought he had the mental strength to resist temptation, but with David, all the rules flew out the window.

The sex had been too good to pass up on, and like a drug addict, he couldn’t stop. He chose David as his choice of drug, because all his life, he’d been bound to his family, his pride, and his duty. Sometimes, it felt like he was drowning, but David had been oxygen.

He dropped from the trees. David squeaked then hissed at him, just like an adorable little tabby cat, except David was a panther. True, a submissive Omega panther, but one gutsy enough to think he could tame a lethal predator like Abe.

“Jesus, Abe,” David grumbled, sounding grumpy.

He padded to David, wondering why he didn’t turn human immediately. It ought to shame him that a little cat like David had the balls to do what he could not, to put an end to this, whatever they had, but it didn’t. David reached out, hesitation on his face, before running his fingers through his thick mane, a privilege Abe only allowed those closest to him.

Strange. Abe had never given that permission to any other member in the pack.

“God, you’re really such a beautiful beast.”

Abe took that as a compliment.

“Abe, please. Turn back to human so we can talk. If not, I’ll keep on stroking you. You know how I like touching your fur.”

Abe did. His lion was pleased, would have preferred to lie on David’s lap being petted if sex wasn’t on the menu.

Most of the time, they’d argued, bickered, and teased each other mercilessly. This new serious and earnest David unnerved him a little. Despite how much Abe didn't relish having this difficult conversation, he had to man up. He should feel relief. After this talk, they’d go back to their separate ways, probably never see each other again, because both the lions and panthers agreed they wouldn’t cross each other’s territories, unless it was for business reasons.

His heart sank and his lion despaired. Neither beast nor man wanted that.

Sometimes, letting go of what you badly want is the hardest thing to do, even if you know it’s for the best.

That had been the only good advice his often-absent mother told him. She’d been talking about his father. Their marriage had been one of convenience to preserve the bloodlines. Neither had been happy.

There were two ways this conversation could go. He could be the better man, be the honorable cat everyone knew he was, but when it came to David, Abe always picked the opposite choice. A snarl tore out of his throat, and in moments, Abe’s fur receded, bones cracked, and organs reshaped themselves as he turned back to human.

* * * *

With an uncanny speed David knew Abe processed but never used against him, the dominant lion shifter pinned him instantly against the tree. David let out a surprised breath. He’d been with Abe a couple of times to know the lion would never hurt him, not in a million years. Why did he ever think it would be a good idea to have this conversation with Abe naked?

Abe knew what kind of effect he had on David, the bastard. Even when Abe pinned his hands above his head, all David could do was admire Abe’s muscled form, stretched against him. Standing so close, Abe’s bare skin brushed against his clothes. Abe was really a beautiful specimen of a man, in both animal and human form.

Some would consider Abe too big, features too rough, but not him. He loved Abe’s dark golden hair, cut military short, and Abe’s unique amber eyes. Most shifters changed eye color when intense emotions rode them, but Abe’s eyes were a mark of his ancestry, the mark of a Golden Pelt lion, the last pure-blood lion shifter line in the country. David had memorized and touched the harsh lines of Abe’s face and body enough that he knew every scar and imperfection of his lion.

He wanted to reach out, to touch and caress and—David cut away that thought.

Meeting Abe time and time again despite knowing they were poison to each other was the reason why David swore to end this tonight. Abe made it so damnably hard for him to gather his thoughts, and David had spent the last week preparing what to say. He foresaw the arguments Abe would make, how he’d retort back, except he never accounted for the scenario that Abe would make him speechless.

“Scared, little cat?” Abe asked.

“Release me.”

“Making demands of me now?”

He let out a frustrated sound. “All I want is to talk like civilized and mature adults. You’re being an ass.”

“Am I? As I recall, you like it when I pin you in place, when I render you helpless.”

It was true. The only time David felt truly at home with his skin, with his body, was when he was at the complete mercy of one arrogant and lethal lion. He didn’t tell Abe that though, because that would only give Abe more leverage.

“No wonder they call you the Rock. You’re stubborn as hell,” David muttered, but it was a weak jab. “Stop using sex to tempt me.”

“Sex? I’m not even trying yet and already, your dick’s thickening. Look at that.” Abe used one hand to pin his wrists and the other to unbutton his pants. Abe drew out his dick and swiped away the pre-cum on his tip. He groaned at the sight of Abe licking his need off his fingers, like a smug and satisfied cat.

ADULT EXCERPT

He groaned, cock thickening as Abe’s thick dick pressed up against his belly. David could scent their mingling need in the air. He rubbed himself against Abe, groaned when Abe gave his left nipple a pinch, then his dick. David nearly came then, but he held back, not wanting to appear like some horny teenager who had no control over his body.

Then again, Abe always rendered him helpless. Abe descended his mouth over his, stealing his next words. David ran his hands eagerly down Abe’s body, like a hungry man denied food for so long, he wanted to indulge, to reacquaint himself with every inch of Abe. His man. His mate.

David could utter those words freely now without judgement, so he did. He felt Abe’s surprise as Abe parted from the kiss.

“Mine.” Abe growled out the word, making all the hairs on his arms rise.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The panther in him came alive, eager for the touch, to be possessed by their powerful lion mate.

“Take me,” David said. “Remind me who I belong to.”

Abe closed his mouth over the bare side of his neck, teeth scraping against skin. David stilled, all too aware that was the special spot where Abe could place his mate mark. Shifters mated for life, and once Abe bit him, everyone would know David was claimed and he was undeniably Abe’s.

The dominant lion didn’t bite him yet though, but he could sense it was a promise.

Soon.

* * * *

Fuck, but Abe had a hard time not sinking his fangs into David’s neck. The only reason he hesitated was because it would hurt like hell. No, he’d make his mate feel good first, and besides, he’d been wanting to sheathe his dick inside David’s tight little ass since they reunited. Abe left a trail of kisses down David’s throat, loving every moan that emerged from David’s lips.

He lowered his head, took one nipple into his mouth, and sucked hard. He bit down, leaving his mark there, before nuzzling David’s neck again. Reaching for David’s dick, Abe smiled, seeing it was already at half-mast. He ran his thumb over the pre-cum gathered on David’s tip and slathered it over David’s length.

“God,” David mumbled.

Abe began to tug and pull, until David squirmed restlessly on his lap. He stroked David’s prick, alternating between fast and slow until David began to pant.

“I want you to come for me, little cat. I want to see you come undone, here in my own home, where we no longer need to hide in the cover of night.”

David answered him with another groan, and he picked up the pace, pinching at David’s balls. David’s moan was muffled as Abe took his lips. Abe ran his tongue over the seam of David’s mouth, savoring the sweet taste of his mate. One pinch to David’s engorged pick did the trick. With a cry, David came, coating Abe’s fingers with cum. Abe lifted David’s need to David’s lips, growled in approval as David licked his fingers dry.

“Good job, little cat,” Abe said after.

A lazy expression crossed David’s face, but they were far from done. Abe patted David’s softening prick, dragged his fingers lower, past David’s crease to the tempting puckered entrance of David’s ass. David gripped his biceps, a moan slipping from his lips as Abe traced his hole.

“I’ve always loved the fact Omegas are self-lubricating,” Abe drawled.

It had been especially handy during their midnight affairs, but now, he liked the thought of taking his mate whenever and wherever he wanted. He pushed a finger inside. David was already slick for him, and he let out a rumble of approval. David moaned against him as he added a second and began making twisting motions, prepping David for his access.

“What’s taking so long?” David whined.

“Patience, little cat. I’m not exactly small.”

“Oh, I know.” David grinned at him. “I miss those mornings when I woke up sore and well-used.” David’s smile dropped. “When I realized we could no longer meet—”

Abe kissed him again, this time slow and sweet. “Hush. Little cat, that’s all in the past now. You’re here, mine, and not going anywhere.”

He could hear David’s elevated heartbeat and his own. Abe must have found David’s prostate, because David mewled, just like a happy little cat. He did it again, just to hear David make that sound for him once more. Perfect.

“You’re ready,” Abe decided, replacing his hand with his cock.

He pushed in the first few inches, gritting his teeth as David’s inner muscles clamped down on his shaft. Abe groaned, feeling David dig his fingernails into his back muscles, but he didn’t mind. He loved it when David turned a little wild during sex. Once he pushed past the thick ring of stubborn muscles, Abe sheathed himself fully inside his mate, until his balls brushed against David’s ass.

“Missed this,” David whispered against his ear, breath warm. “You in me.”

“Fuck yes.