“It would be a bad idea for you to join the pride,” Kefir managed.At least, it would with a lion like him as his master.Kefir kept that part of the confession back, not wanting his pet to think any more badly of him than was absolutely necessary.
“Oh?”Ellery calmly continued to drink his coffee.
Kefir met his eyes.
Ellery seemed to see something in him then, something that displeased him a great deal.His spine straightened.His scent changed.He smelled concerned now.“Come here.”
Kefir looked at the bed.If he went too near it or Ellery, he was sure he’d forget why it was a bad idea for his pet to stay there with him.He shook his head.
Ellery’s eyes narrowed.Abandoning his coffee cup onto the bedside table, he stood up.The bed sheet fell away, leaving him completely bare as he crossed the room.
He stopped a foot or two away from Kefir.
“Look up.”
Kefir had no intention of following the order, but somehow, his gaze lifted itself without bothering his brain for permission.
“There are already more than enough brats in your pride; there’s no need for you to try and join their ranks.And you sulking in the corner isn’t going to impress anyone.”
Kefir carefully held Ellery’s gaze.Half his instincts as a lion demanded that he bring himself back together with his mate, that he do whatever it took to make Ellery pleased with him and everything right between them.But another part of him needed to know that Ellery would be safe and steadfastly refused to become the reason why his pet might get hurt.And, then, there was a little bit of him that wanted to spring forward, throw himself at Ellery’s chest and have his pet tell him everything was going to be okay.
Paralyzed by indecision, unable to work out what was the best thing to do for his pet, Kefir remained sitting on top of the dresser.
Apparently running out of patience with him, Ellery simply picked him up and put him down so he was standing on the floor in front of the cabinet instead.Kefir looked up at him, eyes opening wide in surprise.
“Tell me what happened when you went downstairs,” Ellery ordered.
He had much the same way about him that Arslan had when he gave orders.It was hard to believe a world existed where his commands weren’t obeyed.
Kefir looked down.They were so close together, there was no floor to be seen between them.All he saw was Ellery’s body.
He was big and strong for a human.That meant nothing among lions.
“I can’t keep you safe if you stay here.”He’d never known it could hurt so much to have to admit such a thing.For the first time in his life, Kefir truly wished he’d been born a larger, stronger shifter, that he was the type of man who other lions would obey without question.
Ellery stared down at him in silence for a long time, his expression impossible to read.“You think that you’re the one who’s supposed to protect me?”he asked, apparently amused and bemused by the idea in equal measure.
Kefir nodded, perfectly serious.
Ellery laughed, and Kefir regained the ability to look him in the eye.Ellery stroked his knuckles along Kefir’s jawline as he smiled down at him, humour still dancing in his expression.
When Kefir didn’t join in with the joke, he seemed to make some effort to adopt a more solemn expression.“Your protection isn’t necessary.”
“Lions are responsible for their pets,” Kefir tried to explain.
Ellery moved his knuckles across to cover Kefir’s lips.Some of his usual gravity came back.“I’m not your pet.”
Kefir moved Ellery’s hand away from his mouth, as politely as possible.Ellery didn’t try to stop him doing that.“Humans who lie with lions are either sacrifices, or pets or mates.”
“Every rule has exceptions.”
Kefir stared up at him, quite sure that the whole point to rules was that there weren’t any exceptions to them.He nibbled at his bottom lip as he tried to find another way to explain it.
“And I can take care of myself.”Ellery turned and walked away, as if him just saying it made it the truth.
If he carried on believing that, he was going to get hurt.
“No, you can’t; not among lions,” Kefir whispered.
