Kefir took a deep breath as his fingertips traced across Ellery’s skin.“You said that, if I did something wrong, you’d punish me.But, afterward, it would be forgotten about, and everything would be okay again,” he reminded him.
Ellery continued to stare down at him, his expression growing more serious by the moment.“Have you done something wrong?”
“No, sir.”Not yet.
The last few members of the pride tumbled into the room.A car crunched over the gravel in the driveway just a second later, heralding the arrival of that week’s sacrifice.
Ellery glared at the world around them as if its very existence offended him.He began to lead Kefir out of the room.
Planting his bare feet firmly on the carpet, Kefir stopped them both short.Ellery looked over his shoulder at him in askance as he seemed to realise that, just this once, Kefir was reluctant to follow politely in his wake.
“May we stay for the meeting, sir?”
Ellery looked at the lions around them.“Respecting your traditions is one thing, kitten.Letting you hide behind them is another.”
Kefir shook his head, denying any such inclination.“I’ll make sense later, sir.”
Ellery didn’t look happy about receiving the request, let alone granting it, and Kefir had to scramble for something to say that might make Ellery change his mind.“Promise?”
For all their differences, the word seemed to have the same effect on Ellery as it did on Marrick when Luther or Blaine said it to him.It was obviously an important word for humans.They took people seriously when they said it.
Ellery still didn’t seem thrilled, but he finally stopped trying to leave the room.If a degree of tension remained in his muscles, and a little suspicion lingered in his eyes as he looked at the other members of the pride, then at least he didn’t try to stop Kefir from curling up close to him on one of the big leather sofas as the sacrifice was made welcome on the hearthrug.
Ellery let him remain snuggled up against his side, with his hands stroking idly over his skin as they watched the others play with the new sacrifice.Kefir didn’t want a new sacrifice to play with.He burrowed a little closer into his master’s side.He didn’t want a sacrifice at all, or a pet.
He could still feel the tension in Ellery’s body, but Ellery didn’t try to question him about his nervousness.His promise still seemed to be keeping Ellery’s curiosity at bay.
In what felt like mere seconds, the food was brought in and eaten.Arslan seemed to begin his talks with the lions in his pride just moments later.And Kefir knew it might only be a matter of minutes before he’d be called upon to speak.
He hated himself for it, but part of him hoped that one of his friends would be in trouble and need to ask the leader for his help and advice—anything that would delay Arslan’s attention turning toward him.
“Kefir, is there anything you wish to say?”
And, suddenly, he didn’t have any more time to worry or have doubts about what he intended to do.His heart raced faster than ever, but somehow, Kefir managed to nod, his cheek moving against his master’s shoulder with the gesture.
Ellery’s tension doubled.His scent signalled that he was less impressed with the world than ever.When Kefir sat up and pulled away from him, he caught sight of Ellery’s expression out of the corner of his eye.It took every scrap of courage Kefir knew he had in him, and more, to stand up and move even further away from him.
Kefir stood on the rug for a moment, his gaze on Arslan.Their eyes met.Arslan’s expression betrayed nothing.There was neither approval nor disapproval there.Very slowly, Kefir turned his back on the rest of his pride and looked toward his master.
Ellery stared up at him, his eyes full of questions.It felt wrong, standing over him that way, as if he was trying to loom the way some of the larger lions did.Kefir slowly lowered himself to his knees, just a few inches away from his master’s feet.
He doubted the move was as practiced or as perfect as some of the humans at the clubs were capable of, but it let Kefir give his master what he could of the world he was used to and fit it in to what was going to happen that night as well as he knew how.He’d have done anything to give himself a better chance of success.
For what felt like a lifetime, their eyes remained locked, the whole room stayed silent.In that moment, he had no doubt he was making a mistake.Masters did this, not pets.The fact he was a lion was suddenly irrelevant.
“You said you have something to say?”Ellery prompted.
Kefir nodded.But he couldn’t get the words out.If his master said no to him that night, he knew there might be another chance to ask him in the future.Humans didn’t always say yes first time.He’d seen evidence of that himself.But he wanted Ellery to say yes to him, so badly.He wanted his master to accept him so desperately he could barely breathe.
Ellery moved forward in his chair.A frown grew across his forehead as he reached out and stroked his fingers along Kefir’s jaw.Turning his face toward his master’s hand, Kefir gently lapped at his skin.
The moment he tasted Ellery against his tongue, the words rose to his lips.“If you come to us willingly and of your own free will, with no thought for your own gain and only wishing to add to the pride, then you are welcome.”
He couldn’t look up at Ellery.He whispered the invitation into his hand instead.
“If you wish to belong to the pride, to take your rightful place in the pride, you are welcome.”
Another lick against Ellery’s skin and Kefir managed to lift his gaze for a moment.When he would have looked down, Ellery moved his fingers out of range of Kefir’s tongue, to tuck them beneath his chin and keep him looking up.
