Chapter Eleven

Gordon

“You need to pack some clothes,” I said, as firmly as I could. I’d been thinking about this for a couple of hours.

Red had been dozing on my chest as we sat on the couch. Now he raised his head, blinking sleepily at me. “Huh?”

“You need to come with me to the pride house.”

He sat up, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t think I can do that.”

I sucked in a deep breath, expecting him to protest. Now I just had to think how to phrase it to get what I wanted, and what he needed. “You’re my mate, my omega.”

Despite his worry, heat bloomed into his eyes. Red liked the idea of belonging to me. “I know that.”

“Then you’re part of my pride.”

“I know that, too.”

“Being part of my pride means you’re protected by my pride. By Maxi and Apollo and my guys, and Ricky and all your annoying brothers.” I ignored the outraged exclamation from Tim. I’d gotten used to the fact he was always listening in. “You heard what Leonidis said. They’ve got your back, just like mine.”

“What if I put them in danger? I don’t think—”

“Please, I don’t want you to think, my stalk. I just want you to listen to me. We’re gonna pack you some clothes. Drew is going to come with the van and drive us to the pride house and you can hide in my room for the night. The house is always busy. You’ll never be alone . If you need a night buried in the soil, we can guard you.”

I watched a myriad of emotions cross his face. Fear, worry, refusal, hope. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to say no. Red didn’t know what he wanted. But I did. It was time I goated up and acted like an alpha.

“Drew is just waiting for my call. Dinner's almost ready, Burke’s getting impatient. He’s a bit of a Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, but he loves feeding people.” I was so proud of my pride. They’d come through for us. “Apollo is even willing to share Glass’s kinky candy.”

I snorted at the growls in my head. From Red’s wide eyes, he heard that too.

“I guess that’s a no, then,” he murmured.

“I can buy you strawberry and cream penis candy if you want,” I said, laughing as he wrinkled up his nose. “No?”

“I’d rather eat strawberries and cream.”

I sucked in a breath as I had a sudden vision of licking a long stripe of cream up Red’s gorgeous body to nibble on the strawberry perched on his nipple. Then I followed a trail of cream to his cock.

“Fuck,” he breathed out. From the sudden floral smell, Red was happy to share my vision.

“Let’s go,” I suggested. “This is one fantasy I want to play out.”

He suddenly looked uncertain. “You don’t think they’ll mind me being there?”

“If they put up with Tim’s caterwauling, they can put up with anyone,” I said, laughing, hoping to break the tension coming from his uncertainty.

Hey!

I shared a smirk with Red at his youngest brother’s protest, then I stood and tugged Red to his feet, being assertive when he needed it. “Come on, we’ll get you packed, and I’ll message Drew.”

Received! Be there in five. That was from Drew.

Hurry up! Dinner is getting cold. Burke had to stick his oar in.

Red sighed heavily. “If I say no, are you going to listen to me?”

I shook my head. “Nope. This is my decision. I’m taking care of my mate in the safest place I know. That, my sweet rhubarb, is with my pride.”

There was a happy emotion rolling from my pride. It wasn’t often I’d talked about anything except sex. I guess it was time.

Our Gordon has grown up, Randy said cheekily.

I was about to threaten them all with the dreaded pan, but I didn’t want to scare my mate.

We were packed and waiting by the door when I heard a beep beep ! I cautiously peered through the window to see the minivan with Apollo, Maximus, and Leonidis jumping out.

“What the hell are they doing here,” I muttered, flinging open the door.

Maximus looked around and beckoned us out. “Give me the keys. You two get in the van. We came in case there was trouble,” he explained, making sense of why they were all there.

My pride fucking rocked. I was so lucky to belong to them, even if they drove me nuts.

I picked up Red’s pack and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to guide him to the van. Maximus took the keys and shooed us away. I could feel Red shaking against my body, but he didn’t protest.

“Remember, we all have your back,” Maximus said to my mate, who nodded and swallowed hard enough I heard the gulp.

The lions formed a protective barrier to any form of attack as we walked to the van and climbed in. Then Maximus was there, the door slid shut, and we were away. I hung on tight to Red because Drew wasn’t the best driver in the world. Red buried his face in my neck.

I caught Leonidis’s worried glance Red’s way, then he looked at me. “We need to talk,” he mouthed.

I gave a slight nod. We could do that later.

When we entered the pride house, it was chaotic and loud, as usual. I ushered Red to the chair next to the one where I usually sat in the kitchen. Tim sat on the other side of Red, and Glass sat on the other side of me.

Tim grabbed Red’s hand and squeezed it. “Good to have you here,” Tim sang, but at less than his usual full volume.

We all shuffled our seats closer so we could sit around the table together while Burke and Ricky served up bowls of pasta, sauce, salad, and hunks of meat for the lions.

I could see Red gazing around the table, then he took a deep breath.

“You’re fine,” I whispered. “You’re safe.”

“I am now,” he agreed, and for the first time, I believed he meant it.

Dinner was just the same as usual, everyone talking over each other and discussions about the upcoming baby additions to the pride.

“We’re going to have to remodel the house to accommodate all the new arrivals,” Maximus grumbled.

“We could build a separate house for everyone,” Apollo suggested.

Maximus shook his head. “You can live elsewhere, but the pride house is for all of us whenever we need it.” He winked at Red, who flushed and nodded.

“It’ll be Apollo and Glass’s turn next,” Drew said cheekily.

However, from how quiet Apollo and Glass were, I had a feeling that if they were expecting a lion cub or rhubarb, they weren’t about to let on.

“You’re the last people we’re going to tell,” Glass finally declared, as if sensing the curiosity coming from the pride.

“You won’t be able to hide it,” Burke pointed out gleefully.

“Not all of us are having cows,” Tim said, leaning against Maximus. He sounded tired.

“You might have a lion cub.” Maximus grinned, projecting that he’d be happy with whatever Tim had.

Glass gave his omega the sweetest smile. “Any baby we have will be a blessing.”

I swallowed hard. I hoped my mate would feel the same way when we had kids. Only Red seemed to be avoiding anyone’s gaze, especially mine.

“What’s for dessert?” I asked, changing the subject.

Burke waggled his eyebrows at me. “Strawberries and cream.”

I looked at my stalk, loving that idea despite the cheeky bull. “Wanna have dessert in my room?”

Red didn’t hesitate and took my hand, looking at me now. “I can’t wait,” he said breathlessly.