Meredith's Pride [Galactic Nuptials 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) (14 page)

Delsin smiled. They were pairing off just like he thought they would. “Do the females have any objections to the matings?”

Misko smiled and put her hand on Knoton’s cheek. “No, Alpha. I have no objections.”

“And you, Hula?”

“No, Alpha. I think it’s in the best interest of the pride for us to be mated.”

“Very well.” The floor vibrated underneath his feet as the Arridian’s shuttle took off for home. “Let’s open a bottle of wine to celebrate all the wonderful matings of our pride.”

“I’ll get it.” Knoton kissed Misko’s hand and walked toward the kitchen.

Athaw walked into the room, her eyes sparkling, practically bouncing on her toes. She ambled over to stand next to Delsin, placing her hand on his arm. She leaned in close to whisper. “We could make this celebration complete and announce our mating as well.”

“What?”

“I’m the only female left. You and Etu will have to take me and give me cubs to keep the pride alive.”

“Are you crazy?” Etu walked up and pulled her hand off Delsin’s arm. “We’ll never mate with you no matter how few cubs the pride has. We already have a mate.”

Athaw’s body tensed as her temper soared. Nostrils flaring, she stomped from the room.

“Okay.” Delsin looked to the pride and saw expressions of sympathy on the females’ faces. “What say we get this party rocking?” He moved to take a glass of wine from Knoton. “And just so you know, we’re celebrating Etu’s and my mating as well. We’re taking Meredith as our mate.”

Hula and Misko exchanged a look, and then Hula stepped forward, raising her glass. “We wish you long life and love with your chosen mate, Alpha. May the goddess bless you with many years together.”

Delsin and Etu raised their glasses. “May the goddess bless you with many years together and give you long life and love with your chosen mates.” Delsin took a drink and then glanced at Etu. “Pride mates, it’s time for us to claim our mate. We’ll see you all in the morning. We want to get an early start on our trip home.” He nodded at Etu.
Let’s claim our mate, Brother.

They made their way down the hall and tapped lightly on the door. Delsin put his ear to the wood. “I don’t hear him.”

Etu pushed him aside. “I don’t smell him.” He threw open the door, and they walked inside.

“Where can he be?” Delsin walked over and looked in the closet. “He has clothes here.”

“I’m going to shift and see if I can scent him.” The bright blue light filled the room as he changed into his lion. He sniffed around and moved to the door, looking back over his shoulder.

Delsin called the magic and transformed into his lion. His mate’s scent filled his senses. He followed Etu out the door and down the hall. When they reached the forest, he roared.
His scent joined one of the Arridians here.

Etu rooted around on the ground.
They went off into the woods together. Let’s track them.
He took off with Delsin right behind him. When they reached the landing platform, both men morphed back into their human forms.

Delsin growled. “His scent ends here. He left with the Arridians. Why would he do that? Why would he leave us?”

Etu paced back and forth and then stopped, raising his gaze to Delsin. “This has something to do with Athaw. She’s been downright hostile to Mer since we’ve been back. He asked me a lot of questions about her being mother to Chayton’s cubs.”

“He saw her hand on my thigh at dinner tonight.” Delsin started toward the house. “Come on. We’re going to find out if she knows where he’s gone.”

Athaw was lounging on her bed, nude, when they burst through her door. She gave them a sly grin. “It’s about time you came around.”

Delsin growled, yanked her up off the bed and held her against the wall, his fangs exposed. “What do you know about our mate leaving?”

“I’ve seen no mate marks. You don’t have a mate yet.”

Delsin shook her, and then placed his teeth against her throat, biting down enough to bring a drop of blood.

Etu moved closer. “Tell us what you know, or we’ll end you here and now. He’s our mate, and Delsin will go into blood lust if you’re not careful.”

Her face turned ashen, her hands twisting together. “I offered him a job, but he didn’t want it.”

Etu frowned. “What job?”

“I said he could be our nanny if he stuck around. If he didn’t want it, the Arridians said they would take him back to Kilara and he could catch the Earth shuttle there.” She swallowed hard and gave Etu a sickly smile. “You might as well mate me since you can’t have your little Earth toy anymore.”

Delsin dropped her to the floor, shifted, and roared, his fury almost taking away his control.

“What’s going on?” Knoton rushed into the room with Misko right behind him.

Etu collapsed on the foot of the bed. “Athaw managed to run Mer off with her lies. He was on the shuttle with the Arridians when they left.”

Hula moved into the room, her hand clasped tightly in Hakan’s. “What are you going to do about it? It was pretty obvious that man loves you.”

Delsin roared, forced his beast back and then shifted. He glared at Athaw and then grabbed Etu’s arm. “We’re getting our mate back and then tanning his ass for running out without saying anything.

* * * *

Mer wiped the tears from his face and punched his pillow down. The trip to Kilara had been the longest two hours of his life. The four Arridians had not said one word to him the entire time. They’d stared at him like they’d never seen a human before. When they’d landed, one of them had helped him secure a room for the night at the transport station. Luckily, his contract with Galactic Nuptials included a round-trip ticket on the shuttle. He hadn’t used the first half of it since Hakan had picked him up in their shuttle.

He missed his lion men. He hadn’t wanted to leave, but he couldn’t see sticking around to watch them all happily paired off. And he didn’t want to think about having to take care of any children that Athaw might have. Punching his pillow again, he closed his eyes and drifted toward sleep.

A loud roar had him sitting up in the bed, shaking uncontrollably.
What’s happening?
He jumped up and grabbed his pants. He’d just pulled them over his hips when he heard a scuffling noise in the hall. He took a step and screamed when he heard another roar. The door burst open, the wooden frame splintering, and a large lion stepped into the room. Mer dived behind the bed, trying to make his body as small as possible.

“Mate! What the hell do you mean leaving us without permission? You deserve to have your ass reddened for scaring us so badly.”

Mer peeked over the edge of the mattress. He clutched a pillow to his chest, trying to control the feelings of dizziness. “Delsin? What are you doing here?” Delsin walked through the broken door, followed closely by Etu. The looks on their faces had Mer pushing farther into the corner.

“Mates need permission to leave, and you didn’t have it.” Delsin’s nostrils flared as he sniffed the air.

“That’s a punishable offence,” said Etu.

“But I’m not your mate.”

Delsin growled. “Why would you say that?”

Mer leaned his head to the side, exposing his neck. “Do you see a mating bite here?”

Delsin shuffled his feet, looking sheepish, while Etu cleared his throat, rubbing at his neck. Sighing, Delsin walked over and sat on the bed. “We just wanted to wait until we were all sure before biting you. It’s no different than an engagement period among your people.” He narrowed his gaze at Mer. “Why did you leave?”

Mer shrugged. “I had no intention of being a nanny for you and all your future children.”

Etu snorted. “Guess Athaw got her point across.”

Delsin stood and walked around the bed, pulling Mer from the corner. He took the pillow from his hands and tossed it to the floor. “We planned on officially mating you tonight after everyone left. We went to your room and discovered you’d gone.”

Mer looked down and scuffed his toes on the rug. “What about Athaw?”

Delsin growled. “I’d rather mate with a Killenese beast than Athaw.”

“What’s that?”

Etu laughed. “Picture a warthog only uglier.”

Mer snickered and felt his eyes fill with tears.

Etu wiped the moisture from his face. “What’s wrong, mate?”

“I never thought you’d want me for a mate.”

Delsin hugged him close, resting his chin on his head. “You’re everything we want to spend our future with. Even our lions want you.”

“What about cubs? I thought you had to produce more to save your pride.”

Delsin grabbed Mer’s chin and brought his face up while Etu pressed against his back. “We have a nicely matched pair of cubs to raise now, and that’s all the family I need.” He took Mer by the arms and held him firmly. “Now, you have a punishment coming for running off without telling anyone.”

Mer’s mouth dropped open and then he laughed. “Whatcha gonna do? Is da wittle pussy mad at me?”

* * * *

Delsin gazed at his mate and felt a feeling of peace settle over him. Mer’s eyes were wide and needy, his face radiating pleasure. “Etu, let’s strip our little man and give him his punishment before we give him any pleasure.

“Good idea, Brother.”

Holding Mer firmly in his arms, Delsin watched as Etu peeled the clothes from his body. He was all muscle, hard and cut like a sculpture with smooth, warm skin. When he was naked, Delsin sat on the bed and pulled him over his legs.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” Mer wriggled, trying to move off of Delsin’s lap. “I thought you guys were kidding.”

Delsin held one hand firmly on Mer’s back. “Press your hands to the floor and don’t move them, mate.”

Mer stilled, looking back over his shoulder. “You’re not gonna hurt me, are you?”

“Never. You never have to fear us.” Delsin’s hand glided over the naked skin laid out before him like a buffet. “But you deserve a little torture for worrying us.” A slap on his rump had Mer rearing up and arching his back. Keeping a steady rhythm, he spanked his ass cheeks alternately, caressing the globes after every swat. Smoothing his hand down between his legs, he fondled his tight sac.

“Oh, God. You’re killing me.” Mer began making little noises that quickly turned to needy moans. He began raising his ass to meet the downward stroke of Delsin’s hand.

“If I am, you’re dying from pleasure.” Delsin groaned when Mer’s body slid back and forth over his swollen cock, driving him further and further toward release.

* * * *

Etu watched his mate stretched over Delsin’s lap and licked his lips. He moved toward the naked man, knees hitting the floor hard as he knelt by his side. Bending, he fondled Mer’s erect cock where it jutted down between Delsin’s legs. “It’s pretty obvious from this angle that you’re enjoying your punishment, love.” He flipped Mer over so he lay on his back across Delsin’s lap.

Etu reached out his hand and cupped Mer’s hairy sac, rubbing his face against the dark patch of hair at the base of his shaft. “Move aside, Brother.” When Delsin moved his hand, Etu rose up and licked the soft patch of skin behind his balls, all the way to the top of his crease and back, stopping to rake his tongue over his opening. The throbbing in his own cock distracted him for a moment, and then he took one of Mer’s balls into his mouth and sucked gently.

Mer groaned harshly, bucking his hips. “If you keep that up I’m gonna come.”

Etu laughed, and took the hard shaft into his mouth, sucking hard on the tip. Mer moaned, the vibrations traveling through Etu’s body making him shudder.

“Please, I need…”

“What do you need, mate?” Etu stood and moved between Mer’s spread legs, rubbing his cock between his tight ass cheeks.

“I need one of you to fuck me.”

Etu rubbed his hand across Mer’s head. “What do you think, Brother? Should we give him what he wants?”

“Goddess, I need you.” Delsin pulled Mer to his feet and dropped his hands to his head, tangling his fingers in his hair. He leaned in close, his tongue flicking out to lick at his neck. “You complete me, make me feel whole.” He covered Mer’s lips with his own.

Mer broke the kiss, his breathing labored. “Can we—” The rest of his question faded in a gasp as Delsin bit his neck.

“I want to take you now, right here, and I want you to scream for me. I want to taste you and fuck you and…”

“Yes! Suck me, please,” Mer begged. “You’re driving me insane.”

Delsin chuckled, pushed Mer onto the edge of the bed and dropped to his knees, dragging his tongue up the length of Mer’s cock, flicking the tip before taking it in his mouth and suckling.

Mer jerked, driving his cock farther into Delsin’s mouth. “Please.” He sobbed. “Need to come.”

Delsin licked up and down the hard length, sucking at the head, dipping his tongue into the slit at the tip, holding his mate steady on the mattress.

Mer’s fingers dug into Delsin’s arms, his nails leaving little bloody prints. “Not gonna last.” He thrust his hips and then cried out, pumping into Delsin’s mouth as he came.