More Than Pride by Kell, Amber (good books to read for beginners TXT) 📕

“By a picture,” Talan said in a smug tone. “I knew Adrian was mine by a photo. Now figure out which one is your mate. I’ll not have you tearing apart my pride by breaking Dillon’s heart. Dillon, is Chester your mate?”

“Yes.” There was no prevarication in Dillon’s tone. “Chester is my mate.”

“Then the matter is resolved,” Talan proclaimed. “Evin, you are free to stay and seek shelter with us, but I won’t have you causing problems between a mated pair.” 1A protest lodged in Evin’s throat but what could he say? He didn’t know which of them was his mate and Talan was right. If he claimed Chester, Dillon would rip him apart. It didn’t matter that he was equally attracted to Dillon—big and buff had always excited him in the past and this time was no different.

Evin shook his head to clear out the fantasies running rampant through his imagination.

He’d find another place to live. He couldn’t stay here and watch the two men he wanted for his own find joy exclusively with each other.

“What if they are both his mates?” Adrian spoke up.

“What?” Talan frowned at the wolf shifter. “What are you talking about, love?”

Adrian shrugged. “What if they are all mates? There are a few cases of three people being mated. This could be one of those times. Why not?”

Why not, indeed? It happened more with birds than any of the cat breeds but it wasn’t unheard of…though Evin had never thought he’d be put in that sort of situation. Of course, he’d never thought his brother would go insane and make a deal with psychotic hunters either. Life was just full of surprises.

“I’ve never heard of it happening with lions,” Talan said, but his tone was musing, not dismissive. Evin had a feeling that, if anyone else had suggested the idea, Talan would have tossed it out the window.

“It happens with bird shifters,” Adrian argued. “I’ve even heard of it happening in a few of the wolf packs. None in my pack, but I have heard of it.”

Talan snarled at Adrian, his expression so much like a pissed off cat that Evin had to hold back laughter. “You don’t belong to a pack, you belong to a pride.”

Adrian shook his head. “I consider it like dual citizenship. I’m not going to break ties with my brother, so you’ll just have to cope.”

Evin turned his head fast to hide his laughter. Adrian had no fear of his mate. When confronted by his mate’s fierce frown, the wolf stood his ground and didn’t change his calm expression even when Talan snarled. He just waited him out.

Talan gripped the back of Adrian’s head and kissed him until he melted against the larger man. When the alpha finally released his mate, Adrian swayed slightly. “As long as your first loyalty is to me.” 2“Always,” Adrian responded without hesitation. “Now, how are we going to figure this out?”

Adrian examined each of them carefully. Evin could almost feel the man dissecting different ideas and tossing them aside.

“We could go with the old tried and true method,” Talan mused.

“Throw them in a room together and not let them come out until they fuck?” Adrian asked.

“Yep.” Talan gave Evin a wide grin. “That way, you’ll either come out mated or dinner—it’s all the same to me. The shifter council might give me hell but I’m sure they’ll get over it.”

Adrian shook his head at his mate’s statement. “Dillon, do you want to use your room or someplace neutral.”

Dillon smiled. “I’ll use my room. My bed’s big enough and we’re kind of short with all the newcomers.”

“True,” Adrian agreed.

“Then get to it.” Talan turned and headed to the door. He grabbed Adrian by the wrist on his way out, dragging the smaller man behind him.

“Is he always like that?” Evin asked, tilting his head towards the departing couple.

Dillon folded his arms across his chest. “Like what?”

“Dismissive of other breeds.”

“I’ll let that slide because you’re new here, but Talan has the biggest fucking heart of any alpha I’ve ever met. Most alphas would rip you apart and send you back to your nest in pieces just for being on their land. When a bunch of homeless shifters were dumped on our porch, Talan didn’t kick them out on their asses. Instead, he found most of them homes or jobs to support themselves. He might give Adrian a hard time about his pack, but if Adrian’s brother had any problems, you’d find a pride of lions protecting his back. I’ve met a lot of alphas in my life and Talan’s one of the good ones.”

Evin held his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t mean any harm. He just doesn’t seem to like birds.”

“I think he’s more concerned about you claiming my kitten than the fact that you sprout feathers.” 2Evin shrugged. “Maybe.”

“I’m not a kitten.” Chester snarled like a pissed off cat. Evin laughed.

“Of course you’re not.” Dillon stroked Chester’s head like a pet. “You’re a bad-ass tabby.”

“That’s right.” Chester nodded his head, his amber eyes flashing.

Evin had never seen a person who so closely resembled his shifter form while human before. Chester’s wavy red-gold strands had a tabby pattern, and his eyes, although with human pupils, were the same amber as a cat’s. He was fascinating.

“My bedroom’s back here.” Dillon led the way down the hall towards the back of the building. Chester obediently followed Dillon, and Evin followed Chester’s amazing ass, which looked like it would fill his hands to perfection. Until Dillon led the way into another room, Evin barely paid attention to where they were going.

“This is it.” Dillon announced, circling around and closing the door behind them. His not so subtle locking of the door sounded loud to Evin’s ears. His survival instincts had him searching for other exits. Luckily the two big windows appeared to open wide and would allow perfect egress for an aerial-minded shifter.

Once satisfied that exits were available, he turned his attention to the rest of