by R. E. Butler
He was the most content he’d ever been in his life. He hadn’t even considered that not having a mate meant he was missing out on a fundamental part of life, but now that Sugar was already foremost in his thoughts, he knew he hadn’t been living. Now, with her, he was living like a king.
True sat down next to Maddox. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” Maddox said, lifting Sugar’s hand and rubbing her knuckles along his jaw.
True was smiling, but there was something off about the look in his eyes, and Maddox’s cat went on alert.
“When you disappeared with Sugar and didn’t come back right away,” True said with a low voice, “word spread around pretty fast that you and she were mates. It’s hard to miss that she’s not like us.”
Maddox wanted to say that he didn’t care a bit about what the pride thought of his mate, but it wasn’t as simple as that. Not only did it matter because of the alpha law, but it also mattered because he wanted her to be accepted.
“I haven’t talked to her about the pride yet,” Maddox said. He hadn’t wanted to disrupt the cementing of their mating by telling her that his decision to mate with her would cost him his rank as alpha. Before he met Sugar, he’d thought choosing a lioness for a mate was the most important thing he could do for his future, but now he knew better. Nothing was as good as the honest connection he had to his sweet snow leopard. That they weren’t the same type of cat shifter seemed inconsequential.
“The timing of your conversation is your choice. But it’s been my experience that it’s better to lay it all out there early, so that there aren’t any surprises. For either of you.”
Maddox nodded. “Thanks for the heads up.”
“That’s what brothers are for.” True pushed back his chair, but he didn’t stand. Instead, he leaned over and said with a whisper, “Rai already told me that if you get Sugar pregnant before she gets pregnant, she’s going to kick both our asses.”
He grinned. “I’m not promising anything.”
“Bastard,” True said, chuckling as he stood.
Sugar rested her head on Maddox’s shoulder, and he turned his attention to her. “Is everything okay?” she asked.
Rai joined True out on the dance floor as the DJ played a slow song.
“Of course. I’ve got a beautiful mate, and I’m counting the minutes until we can leave. I can’t wait to show you to your new home.”
“The pride all lives in the same area, right? Like the pack does?”
“Yes, but the pride is smaller than the pack, so we don’t have as large a territory.”
The pride had lived in the same town for generations, owning several hundred acres of beautiful wooded land. In the center of the territory was a large, natural lake, and the pride homes surrounded the lake in a loose circle. His lion enjoyed swimming in the lake, especially in the summer. He was looking forward to sharing his home and territory with his mate.
“Do you have any holiday traditions with your pride?” she asked.
“We usually go for a Christmas Eve run in the territory. I normally go to my parents’ home on Christmas Day for a big meal.”
The moment he mentioned his parents, they appeared, standing behind them with expectant smiles.
“We met you in the receiving line,” his mom said, “but we wanted to officially meet you.”
Maddox stood and Sugar joined him. “Mom, Dad, this is Sugar Pierce. Sweetheart, these are my parents, Drylan and Phoebe.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Sugar said.
His dad shook Sugar’s hand with a smile, but his mom hugged her. “Welcome to the family,” his mom said.
With a nod, his dad made the motion he wanted to speak to Maddox privately, so Maddox left his mate with his mom and stepped away so he could speak with his dad. He knew before his dad even opened his mouth that he was going to talk to him about the alpha position. His dad had never been alpha. In the pride that Maddox had grown up in, his dad’s brother – Uncle Clay – was the alpha. When Maddox left the pride to go to college, he’d joined the pride in Clear Lake and taken over when he graduated. True had joined him shortly after, and so had his parents.
“The pride is gossiping about your rank as alpha.”
“True said as much. I can’t stop the gossip.”
“I’m aware. It’s not the gossip so much as the gossiper that you should be concerned with.”
Maddox let out a growling sigh. “Josef, I’m guessing?”
His dad nodded.
Josef was a pride male who had wanted to be alpha when Maddox fought for position. The male was a few years younger than Maddox. When they had butted heads during the takeover, Maddox had easily bested him in a fight. Josef had a big mouth and a bad attitude, but he couldn’t back up his words with fighting skills. He’d been disgruntled ever since, and it didn’t surprise Maddox at all that Josef was the first in line to point out that Sugar wasn’t a lioness, and, therefore, Maddox couldn’t be alpha anymore.
Maddox had planned to take Sugar to his cabin and find out how many times he could make her purr with pleasure, but he knew now that he couldn’t put off pride business any longer. If he delayed the business until morning, he and Sugar might be interrupted, and the last thing he wanted to do was upset his mate.
Glancing at his watch, he knew what he had to do. “Spread the word that I’ll speak to the pride at midnight at the ceremonial grounds.”
“What are you going to tell Sugar?”
“I’ll explain I’m stepping down. The elders will take over as temporary alphas and then they can oversee the battle for alpha according to the laws.”
“We could always leave, you know.”
“Leave the pride?”
His dad shrugged. “I’ve never agreed with the alpha law. You’re a great alpha, and it shouldn’t matter to anyone what your mate changes into. The two of you are fated to be together, and that should be what matters. You were willing to mate with a female you don’t feel connected to just to be able to continue to lead the pride. That speaks volumes about your character.”
Maddox was humbled. “I don’t really want to leave the pride. Unless the new alpha wants me gone, I’ll stay.”
“Vario and Gregory are strong enough to be alpha, and Josef will raise his hand as well. But I don’t think that Josef could beat either Vario or Gregory.”
Maddox nodded. Vario and Gregory were a few years older than him – both powerful males but also well liked within the pride. If the two of them went up for alpha, he wasn’t sure which male would win the battle because they were evenly matched.
“I thought it would matter to me if I couldn’t be alpha anymore, but it doesn’t bother me in the least. I get Sugar. I don’t know her well yet, but what I do know is amazing. If the only thing I lose tonight is the alpha rank, then I haven’t lost anything because I still have her.”
His dad smiled. “The pride will be losing a great alpha.”
“Thanks, Dad. I’m going to talk to Sugar about the pride politics once we’re home tonight, before the meeting.”
They joined his mom and Sugar at the table. The females were talking quietly and smiling, and he was thankful they liked each other. His family was important to him, and Sugar was now part of his family.
“I’d like to dance with my mate,” he said, “if you don’t mind, Mom.”
“I was just getting to know my new daughter,” she said, patting Sugar’s hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow for our traditional family Christmas Day lunch.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Sugar said with a smile.
Maddox pulled out Sugar’s chair and offered her his hand, leading her to the dance floor where she settled right against him as if they’d been dancing together for years. He dipped her, kissing her throat with a growl as she laughed. Righting her, he rested his hands at the small of her back and pulled her close.
“This is just about perfect,” she said, resting her ear over his heart, her fingers playing with the
collar of his dress shirt.
“Just about?”
She peeked up at him, her cheeks darkening in blush. “We could be naked.”
“Not at my reception,” Rai said from where she was dancing with True.
“Spoilsport,” Sugar said, sticking out her tongue.
“I’ll remember that for your wedding,” Rai said. “All’s fair in love and embarrassing your family.”
Maddox chuckled. “We could elope.”
“My parents would kill me,” Sugar said.
“Then you’ll have to let me ask you to marry me right.”
“What’s the right way?”
“All romantic and stuff.”
“I’m swooning already,” she said, a dimple forming in one cheek when she laughed.
“You will be, sweetheart,” he promised.
“Do you always keep your promises?”
“Of course. Lion’s honor.”
“Is that like scout’s honor?”
“Even better.”
“Why?”
“It comes sealed with a kiss,” he said, cupping her face and kissing her gently. She made a soft sound of pleasure in her throat, curling her fingers into his collar and holding herself against him more firmly.
“That’s my kind of promise.”
* * *
Maddox spent the drive from the banquet hall figuring out how to talk to Sugar about the pride meeting and the alpha law. He wanted to make sure that she didn’t feel as if he was sacrificing anything to be with her. She wasn’t a rank-chaser, so she wouldn’t necessarily care that he wasn’t alpha anymore, but she might care that he had to step down because she wasn’t a lioness.
“Stay put,” he said, as he turned off the engine and got out.
“You’re so bossy,” she said with a laugh.
He moved around to her side and opened her door as she unbuckled her seat belt. He scooped her out of her seat as she laughed, and then he carried her to the front door.
“Welcome home, sweetheart,” he said, holding her with one arm as he turned the doorknob.
He carried her over the threshold, kicking the door shut and pressing his lips to hers. Reluctantly he set her down, lifting her hands to his lips and kissing her knuckles. “Grand tour?”
“Does it start and end in the bedroom?” she asked, wiggling her brows at him.
“Why, Miss Pierce,” he said, tugging on his tie, “if I didn’t know better, I’d think you just mated me for my dick.”
“It’s lovely, really,” she said, “but I’m also after your wicked tongue.”
He purred and her cat answered, the two beasts displaying their happiness at being together. A glance at the clock told him that he had an hour until midnight, and he might have remembered he wanted to talk to her about the pride if she hadn’t taken that moment to lift the skirt of her dress and remind him that she wasn’t wearing panties.
All thoughts outside of being with her again fled as he tossed his tie aside and ripped open his shirt, sending buttons clattering to the floor as he stalked toward her. She turned on her heels and raced down the hall, her laughter filling the cabin.
Chapter 6
Sugar stretched, watching candlelight dance across the exposed beams of the master bedroom in Maddox’s home. The large cabin was rustic and masculine, at least what she’d seen of the family room and the bedroom.
“We need to talk, sweetheart,” Maddox said as he propped up on one elbow and looked down at her.
His hand was flat on her stomach, and she rested hers over top of his. “Sounds serious.”
“It is. I’d love nothing more than to just stay right here with you for the rest of the night, but there’s a pride meeting at midnight at the ceremonial grounds.”
The sweet, romantic feelings she had been enjoying evaporated, and dread coursed through her. She didn’t have to ask him what the meeting was about because she was certain that she was the topic.
“I’m not a lion,” she whispered. They hadn’t talked about what her being a different kind of shifter would mean to him and to his people.
“We’re bonded, Sugar. Nothing on earth can separate us. But I can’t be alpha. It’s one of our oldest laws.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Rai’s not a lion.”
“Pride members can mate with whoever they want, whether they’re another type of shifter, supernatural creature, or even human. But the alpha female must be a lioness or the alpha forfeits his position.”
“Why? Why does it matter what I am?” She sat up and looked at her handsome mate. He’d been alpha for only a few years, and he was giving it up for her…a stranger.
“It doesn’t matter to me, but it’s a pride law.”
“Maddox,” she said, his name getting caught in her throat as her eyes stung with tears.
He sat up and cupped her face. Tears leaked from her eyes as he gazed at her fiercely. “I’d rather have you than be alpha.”
“You’re giving up so much.”
“It’s no hardship, sweetheart. I get you. In case you couldn’t tell by the way my cat’s been purring, I’m crazy about you and we’ve known each other less than half a day. Can you imagine how strong our mating will be once we really get to know each other? As if I would give up the chance to have you in my arms every night.”
She smiled and more tears leaked from her eyes. He brushed them away tenderly with his thumbs and kissed her gently.
“You’re giving me quite the ego.”
“I should hope so. My cat’s been doing backflips since we met.” He paused and linked their fingers on the bed; his thumbs caressed her hands. “I’ll be honest, Sugar. I thought that being alpha was the best thing I could ever do with my life. I planned to settle down with a lioness and focus on being alpha. But then I met you. That life I’d been contemplating is like dust to me now. Being alpha just isn’t important anymore. I’m picking you, not because it’s the right thing to do, but because I can’t make any other choice. You’re it for me.”
Awe filled her. Along with lots of sexy thoughts.
“You’re it for me, too.”
He kissed her and slipped off the bed, standing tall and rolling his shoulders. “Part of me wants to tell you that you can stay here, but most of me wants you by my side. It’s up to you.”
Sugar got off the bed and joined him. “I want to be with you.”
“Good. I’ll grab your bags from my SUV.”
“It’s probably best if I don’t shower, right? So I’ll smell like you?”
“Definitely.”
He pulled open a dresser drawer and lifted a pair of jeans from the interior, tugging them on and hurrying from the room. He returned a few minutes later with her rolling suitcase and purse, setting them both on the bed. He flipped on the overhead light, and she was finally able to see the room. The walls and ceiling were wood, and the carpet was a thick, navy pile. French doors led outside, and although it was still dark out and the curtains were drawn on the doors, she knew that the back of the house faced the lake. She imagined the daylight view was spectacular.
“The whole house is pretty manly,” he said after he tugged on a long-sleeved shirt.
“Well, it fits the owner,” she said as she stood and stretched.
He joined her, resting one hand on her bare shoulder. “You’re the owner now, too. You can decorate however you want so it feels less…man cave-ish, and more homey.”
“You’re sweet.”
“Just for you.”
“Should I wear my dress?” she asked, her gaze traveling from her sexy mate to the floor where her dress lay in a pile.
“It’s cold out, so dress warmly. It won’t take long anyway.”
She opened her suitcase and removed the clothes she’d worn to the hotel. Then she took out her toiletry bag and went into the attached bathroom. She dressed in a pair of comfortable jeans and a magenta sweater. After brushing her teeth, she fixed her hair, pulling it to one side and loosely braiding it to sh
ow Maddox’s mating mark.
Things had happened so quickly between them. One moment she was waiting for her cue to walk down the aisle, and the next she was unable to stop herself from shifting. Maddox’s impact on her life was instantaneous. Already she was feeling connected to him, not only physically but emotionally. She knew she’d be head over heels for him in no time.
She left the bathroom and sat on the bed to put on her socks and boots while Maddox cleaned up. When he came out of the bathroom, he said, “Are you ready, sweetheart? We should get on our way.”
“Yeah.”
“There’s nothing to worry about,” he said, offering her his hand. She took his hand, and he pulled her to her feet, wrapping one arm around her waist and kissing her. “You’re mine and I’m yours, and everything else is just details.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“I’m going to get a complex if you keep asking me if I want to be your mate.”
“It’s a lot to give up for a stranger.”
He tapped the space over his heart. “You’re not a stranger in here, Sugar. Getting to know each other will come with time, but there isn’t anyone else I’d rather spend my life with than you.”
“There you go being all sweet again.”
“And romantic. Don’t forget that I’m incredibly romantic.”
She lifted onto her toes with a light laugh and kissed him. “I won’t forget.”
After he helped her on with her coat, he put on a coat and opened the front door for her. He shut the door and took her hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss her knuckles.
“You probably like the cold,” he said as they walked together off the front porch and down the drive.
“Yep, me and my cat love it. How do you feel about ice and snow?”
“I used to dread it, but now that I’ve got you, I think I’ll enjoy it a lot more.”
