Promised To The Pride

by Bonnie Burrows

  Natalie nodded. “For now, I just want to get back home. I don’t want to be away for too long while Cain is still out there.”

  “I agree,” Kyle said. “I guess I should leave someone in charge temporarily until we figure out how to handle this.”

  Natalie agreed with Kyle, and he went to talk with Dave. It had been clear from the moment they had arrived that the pride seemed to look up to Dave, even if that did mean that they followed his misogynistic example. Kyle wasn’t gone for long before he made his way back to Natalie’s side.

  “That’s taken care of,” Kyle told her, “now let’s get the hell out of here. I’m ready to get home.”

  Natalie instructed the rest of the pride that they were leaving, and they all headed out. Natalie was tired from the fight, but she still ran at full speed, ready to be home as soon as possible. She wanted to take a shower and wash the blood off of her so she could cuddle up in the warm arms of her mate and hopefully forget about the past couple of days, even if only for a little while. When they arrived back home, Natalie told everyone to go home and do the same thing; she would let them know when she’d decided to meet to make a plan later. She ran straight upstairs to her room with Kyle beside her before she stopped to shift back into her human form. She was filthy and exhausted, both physically and mentally. Natalie was sure that life as she knew it was about to change, and she hadn’t had the chance to get used to her life as it was since becoming the pride leader yet.

  Kyle took her hand and led her into the shower without saying a word. The hot water running down her body felt amazing as it loosened up her strained muscles and washed away the blood and dirt from the fight they had just left. Kyle lathered up a washrag and slowly washed her body. It was like she could feel him pouring his love into her with every loving caress. When he had washed every inch of her skin, Kyle kissed her softly then turned her around and washed her hair. His fingers on her scalp were heaven, and she closed her eyes, leaned her head back, and moaned, just allowing herself to enjoy the feeling of her mate’s fingers running through her hair and massaging her scalp. Once he had all of the shampoo washed out of her hair, Natalie turned around and grabbed a washrag to repay the favor. She took her time washing Kyle just as he had done with her. When she ran the cloth down his abdomen, leaving a trail of soap all of the way down and then between his legs, Kyle squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. She could feel the effect that she had on him when his length began growing hard inside of the hand she had wrapped around the washcloth.

  Natalie continued to pay extra close attention to Kyle while she finished washing him. She was caressing him and occasionally scraping her nails over his skin while she washed his backside. Each time she ran her nails over Kyle’s skin, he groaned, and she felt herself growing more and more aroused. Knowing that she was turning him on had her wet and dying with need, wanting to feel him inside of her. After the day that they’d had, making love with her mate seemed like the best medicine. When Natalie wrapped her arms around Kyle’s body and scraped her nails over Kyle’s chest, he growled. The next thing she knew, he had turned around and had her back pressed up against the shower wall, and he used his hands under her thighs to wrap her legs around his waist so that their bodies were lined up perfectly. Kyle slammed his mouth against hers, and she opened her mouth up to him when he shoved his tongue inside of her mouth. She could feel his thick shaft rubbing against her when he made slow, thrusting movements with his hips while holding her up and pressed against the wall with his body.

  After a few minutes, Natalie was wild with need and ready to feel the pleasure of Kyle making love to her. The water started getting cold, and Natalie pulled her head back to break their kiss.

  “Bed, now,” she told Kyle. Her voice was breathy but thick, clearly laced with her overwhelming desire for her mate.

  Without putting her down, Kyle turned off the water and carried her out of the shower. He sat her down on the edge of the counter long enough to grab a towel and dry them both off, then he picked her back up and carried her out of the bathroom to the bed. Kyle laid her down on the bed and stood back up, then he raked his eyes over her body.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he told her.

  The sound of his husky voice made her shiver, and she felt like his voice had caressed her entire body.

  Kyle ran his lips up her leg, starting at her ankle and slowly making his way up her thigh until he was hovering just above her sex. Natalie could feel his breath against her most sensitive flesh, and she shivered when it felt like spikes of electricity shot through her body. She was so hot with need that she thought she might explode at any moment. Kyle placed a wet kiss over her sex. It was hot and amazing, and she arched her back off of the bed without thinking about it when pleasure shot through her. Kyle kissed her there once more before traveling further up her body. He took his time and lavished each of her breasts with his mouth. Natalie tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled until he brought his face up to meet hers and she kissed him passionately. When his tongue caressed hers, she moaned into his mouth. She wrapped her legs around his back, and she could feel this hardness caressing her whenever he slowly rocked his body in time with the movements of his tongue as it caressed hers.

  Natalie began moving her body, trying to rock her hips to increase the friction where Kyle was massaging her sex with his shaft. Feeling him against her like that was amazing, but she needed more; she needed to feel him moving inside of her.

  “Kyle,” she said between her own moans, “please, I need you now.”

  No more prompting was necessary. Kyle lined his thick length up with her sex and plunged himself deep inside of her with a groan. For a moment, he didn’t move. He let his forehead rest against hers while her body grew accustomed to his large shaft inside of her. However, it wasn’t long before Natalie grew restless, and she began rocking her hips, trying to create the friction she desperately needed. Kyle took the hint and pulled back and slammed inside of her. “Ugh!” he grunted with every thrust.

  Holding himself up with one forearm and wrapping his hand around the back of her opposite thigh, he began thrusting hard and deep. His movements grew faster, and Natalie could feel her pleasure building up inside of her.

  “Ah! Kyle!” His name came out like a cry as her climax rushed through her body, and she spasmed around Kyle while she rode out the multiple waves of her orgasm.

  “Fuck, Natalie!” Kyle groaned out her name when he thrust into her a few more times, going as deep as he could. She felt his body stiffen above her just before she felt the warmth of his hot release inside of her as Kyle reached his own climax.

  They were both breathing hard, their chests quickly rising and falling with each breath. Kyle laid down on the bed beside Natalie, pulled her tight to his chest, and kissed her forehead.

  “I love you,” he told her.

  She squeezed him tight. “I love you, too,” she said.

  That was the last thing she remembered before she fell asleep. The events of the day finally caught up with her, and she passed out in the arms of her mate, blocking out all of the bad that was happening around them and soaking in the happiness that she felt in that moment, wrapped up in her mate’s arms.

  The next day Natalie called a meeting to discuss Cain’s attack and brainstorm ideas for how to handle the fact that Kyle was now the pride leader of the Anastas pride. They had assembled a team that both Natalie and Kyle thought would bring the best ideas and knowledge to the table. The team included Natalie’s parents, Kyle’s mother, Craig, Glenn and Alice, Mr. Henry Collins the history professor, and a few other members who were well versed in werelion pride laws.

  “Thanks for coming,” Natalie told everyone. “We have to make some decisions about how we want to deal with Cain.”

  Craig was the first one to jump in and offer his opinion. “Let me pick a team, and we’ll go hunt that piece of shit down,” he said.

  Emotions were high for everyone, but Craig was angrier than most. He
had been at the mansion when Cain had attacked them, and as the head guard, he blamed himself for letting Cain and his crew get in. No one else blamed him, but he wasn’t hearing it.

  “I don’t think that’s the best plan,” Glenn said.

  Craig opened his mouth to argue, but Kyle spoke up before he could say anything. “I agree,” Kyle said. Craig quickly turned an angry face on his brother, but Kyle held his hand up to stop him before he went off. “Just give us a minute to explain our thinking, brother.”

  “Fine,” Craig agreed reluctantly.

  “If we send you all out, there is a good chance you might not find him,” Glenn said. “We don’t have any idea where he would go.”

  Natalie looked at Craig. “Glenn is right, Craig. Plus, what happens if he brings in a large group and attacks while you’re away with a bunch of our best fighters?”

  Craig was quiet for a moment while everyone else at the table stated their agreement. Finally, he conceded. “You’re right. I hadn’t considered that we would be leaving an opening here for an attack while we were out hunting for him.”

  “I think that the best option is for you to get your best men together and rotate shifts so we have a patrol going twenty-four-seven,” Kyle suggested. “That way, if they come back to attack again, we will not be blindsided again.”

  Natalie and everyone at the table gave their agreement, and it was time to come up with a plan for what they needed to do about Kyle’s situation with the Anastas pride. “Now, we’ve got to come up with a plan for Kyle.”

  When Natalie mentioned Kyle’s situation, she noticed his mother’s expression was strange. She was sure that Cynthia wasn’t happy about the idea of her son having to leave and lead another pride fifty miles away. The rest of the people at the table just looked confused. Apparently, not everyone knew about Kyle killing the other pride leader, or they at least didn’t know what it meant for Kyle.

  “What are you talking about?” Craig asked. He had been present when they had fought the Anastas pride, but he obviously hadn’t put things together after Kyle had killed Raul.

  “I killed the Anastas pride leader,” Kyle said to his brother.

  Craig sat back and crossed his arms, but he still looked confused about why they were talking about this. “Yeah, I know,” Craig replied, “but that kill was completely justified. I don’t know what you’re worried about.”

  Mr. Collins’ confusion was gone, and Natalie was certain he knew exactly why they wanted to discuss Kyle now.

  “The kill might have been justified, but he killed a pride leader.”

  Craig leaned forward and focused on Mr. Collins. Natalie just sat still, waiting to hear what Mr. Collins had to say. If there was anything that could be done to get around the fact that Kyle was now the Anastas leader, Mr. Collins was the one who would know how.

  “So, you think that their pride will attack us now too?” asked Craig.

  “No, actually I don’t think we will have to worry about anyone from that pride trying to hurt anyone here,” Mr. Collins said. “If Kyle killed their pride leader, that means he is their new leader. The law applies across all prides, not just within our own.”

  Craig’s eyes grew wide. Natalie looked to Cynthia, and it was obvious by the flaring of her nostrils that she was fighting hard to reign in her emotions. She had been aware of this fact since she had first watched Kyle standing over Raul’s dead body, but Natalie knew from her own experience that that wasn’t enough time to come to grasp with what this all might mean.

  Natalie turned back to Mr. Collins. If anyone knew a way to get around this whole thing, it would be him. “That’s why we need your help, Mr. Collins,” she said.

  “I’m not sure what you mean, Natalie,” Mr. Collins replied.

  Kyle took her hand and spoke. “I’m not going to leave my pride or my mate. We need to find a way for me to not have to do that. Can I choose not to accept the position, or give it to someone else within the Anastas pride who might actually want it?”

  Craig leaned forward again, and for the first time, the angry expression he had been wearing for the past few days was replaced with one of curiosity. Natalie wasn’t sure she was going to like where his thoughts had taken him. “Well, I think we all need to think about the advantages this brings to us,” Craig said.

  Now, Kyle had a scowl marring his face. Natalie had no idea what Craig was possibly construing as good about this situation, but either way, she was sure Kyle wasn’t planning on hearing him out at all. She would have to be the voice of reason if they were going to get through this without winding up with everyone mad at everyone else. The whole reason that they had brought everyone together was so they could all brainstorm and come up with the best ideas and plan. If Kyle was going to get mad and shut people down before they could say what they thought, then he would be defeating the purpose of the meeting all together.

  Natalie laid her hand on Kyle’s forearm when he leaned toward his brother. He already had his mouth open and was clearly getting ready to tell Craig off, but she spoke up and cut him off before he could.

  “Craig, what do you mean, this could be good?” Natalie asked him. “Please explain what you’re thinking.”

  When Kyle snapped his head around and looked at her, she knew he wasn’t happy about her entertaining what Craig had said for any reason, but she had to be as unbiased as possible. She was Kyle’s mate, but she was also the pride’s leader, and she had to hear everyone out.

  “We already know that there were members of the Anastas pride helping Cain,” Craig pointed out. “Judging by the attitude of their now-deceased leader, it isn’t surprising that Cain was able to lure some of them into helping him defeat a female pride leader. Now that Kyle is their leader, he has the power to ensure that no one from that pride helps Cain again. With him as their leader, we can basically guarantee having them as an ally, turning the tables on Cain.”

  Natalie had to admit that Craig made a great point. There was no doubt that turning the Anastas pride into an ally would be beneficial—not just in their defense against Cain’s sneak attacks, but for their future as well. One of Natalie’s top priorities before the attack had been reacquainting their pride with others in the werelion universe, and this did present them with a unique opportunity to move in the right direction.

  “Mr. Collins, is there a way that Kyle can remain the pride leader of the Anastas pride but still live here with me as my mate?” Natalie asked. Craig’s idea had merit, but she wasn’t ready to give up her mate. “Maybe just making regular visits to the Anastas pride lands to check in?”

  Mr. Collins rubbed his chin, running his fingers over his goatee, and his eyebrows drew together. He wasn’t looking at anyone at the table but was staring off into the distance like he was thinking something over. Natalie imagined that with the wealth of knowledge the man had, he was probably just sorting through it all in his brain until he found the pieces that would offer insight into their situation before responding. She sat quietly, waiting for him to say something. She could hear Kyle’s foot repetitively hitting the floor as he tapped his foot in aggravation. Kyle was many things, but patient wasn’t always one of them. She wasn’t exactly known for her patience either, and she could feel herself growing antsy waiting on Mr. Collins to respond, but she wasn’t about to interrupt his train of thought. She squeezed Kyle’s hand, trying to comfort herself as well as him while they waited.

  After a few minutes, Mr. Collins’ eyes seemed to refocus, and he looked at her before responding. “I would say that it is possible. There is no law that dictates where a pride leader lives, only how one becomes the leader.”

  “He’s right,” Glenn spoke for the first time. “The trick is figuring out how to make it work to ensure both prides are well taken care of.”

  “I just want to make sure you understand that I won’t leave Natalie,” Kyle told them. “I’m completely open to finding a way for this to work out with me leading the Anastas and making them a benefi
cial ally for us here, as long as it doesn’t mean me living away from my mate.”

  Mr. Collins sat forward with his hands cupped together on the table in front of him. “Since you plan to spend most of your time here, the trick to making it work will be finding someone you completely trust who will be in charge whenever you are not there.”

  Kyle shook his head vehemently. “Mr. Collins, you weren’t there. You didn’t meet the members of this pride that we met. They are all misogynistic jerks, and there isn’t one of them I would trust if we want to build this strong alliance with them.”

  Mr. Collins smirked and raised an eyebrow when he responded to Kyle’s concerns. “Who said that the person you leave in charge has to already be a member of the Anastas pride?”

  Natalie sat up straighter. If Mr. Collins was implying what she thought he was, then they really might be able to work this whole situation out after all. “Wait, I want to make sure I heard you right, Mr. Collins,” Natalie said. “You’re saying that Kyle could choose any werelion from any pride to act in his place whenever he is here?”

  Mr. Collins nodded with a smile.

  “So he could pick someone from our pride who he already knows and trusts to do this, and there is nothing to stop him from doing that?”

  “That is exactly what I am saying, Ms. Natalie,” Mr. Collins said.

  Natalie immediately knew who she thought would be the best option, but before she said his name out loud, she needed to make sure he would be on the same page and okay with taking on such a task. She looked over at Craig and spoke only to him with her thoughts, “Craig, would you be willing to take on such a position? I know that there is no one on this earth who Kyle would trust with this more than you.”

  Craig smiled at her and winked, then he turned his head to address Kyle and the rest of the table. “I would be honored if you all would allow me to fulfill this position,” he told everyone.

  Natalie felt a wave of relief wash through her at Craig’s words, until Cynthia gasped and covered her mouth. Natalie felt guilty for being happy about Craig taking on this role to help Kyle spend his time at home with her because it meant Cynthia was still sort of losing one of her sons. Not only was Kyle now responsible for another pride, but now her youngest son had volunteered to be the one who spent all of his time away from their home to take care of this other pride. Natalie felt bad for being happy at Cynthia’s expense, but she still did. This would mean great things for their pride, and maybe it would be good for Craig, too. He was kind of wild, but he always shined and went above and beyond when he was given real responsibilities. Leading the Anastas pride in his brother’s absence was definitely a big responsibility.