Christopher (Green Hill Pride #11)

Chapter Six

Chris could tell that Drake was nervous as soon as he opened the front door. He wasn’t surprised. After all, he’d been in Drake’s position not that long ago. Drake was here to talk to Gal and Liam, the alpha and the alpha mate, about becoming a pride member. Chris had done the same when he’d arrived in town with his family, so the memories were fresh in his mind.

“They’ll love you,” he promised.

“You can’t know that. I’ve lived in town for a few years now, and I never asked to become a pride member. Won’t Gal wonder why? Won’t he be offended that I changed my mind just because I met my mate?”

Chris grabbed Drake’s hand and pulled him into the entrance. He closed the door and turned to face his mate, who was wringing his hands. Chris had been nervous when he’d met Gal, but not that nervous. Drake looked like he was about to explode.

“Look, I don’t know Gal well because I’ve only recently met him, but he doesn’t strike me as a bad person or a bad alpha,” Chris said, trying to soothe Drake. “You probably know him better than I do. Do you really think he’d do something like that?”

Drake sighed, and his shoulders slumped. “He wouldn’t. He’s a good person.”

“Yeah, he is.” Because it would have been easy for Gal to refuse to welcome Chris and his family into the pride after what Kyle had done. Kyle had defied Gal’s authority. He’d tried to take the pride from him. He’d been an idiot, and thankfully, Gal had seen that. He hadn’t held it against Kyle or his family, and now, Kyle was the happiest he’d ever been.

Chris wasn’t yet, but he was getting there. He was definitely happier than he’d been in recent years. After his mother had died, he’d felt like he couldn’t ever feel that way again, and he’d been terrified, but moving had been the right choice. It had brought him a new home and his mate, and now that he was finally getting out of his head, he could see he could be happy here.

“So don’t obsess over this. He’s going to listen to what you have to say, and he’s going to welcome you into the pride.”

“Even though I didn’t want to be part of it until I met you?”

“I think that more than a lot of people, he can understand being wary of packs and prides and whatever. Just tell him how your birth pack made you feel. But even if you didn’t have a bad experience with them, he wouldn’t care. He sees the pride as a big family, and he’s always happy to welcome more people into it, but it’s not an obligation.”

Chris still had a hard time wrapping his mind around that. He’d never viewed his old pack as a family. He and his family had always been isolated because his mother had refused their alpha when they were younger. It wasn’t normal to be pushed away by people who were supposed to be part of your family like the pride was. It had made Chris wary of becoming a pride member, but he was glad he hadn’t resisted too much. They could be happy here.

As long as Drake managed to relax and be himself.

He checked the time on his phone. “Are you ready to meet Gal? We’re running a few minutes late.”

Drake paled. “He’s going to hate me.”

Chris grabbed his arm and pulled him along. “He’s not going to hate you. No one could hate you.”

“I’m pretty sure Karl hates me,” Drake pointed out.

“I’m pretty sure Karl only has two brain cells, and at least one of them was absent the day you met him.”

Drake laughed.

Chris felt his body relax. That was what he’d been aiming for, and he was glad it was working. The more tense Drake was, the more he tended to yap and overwhelm himself. When that happened, he obsessed over trying not to be himself and being unable to make that work. It made everything worse because it was too much for him to deal with, and he panicked.

Chris didn’t want him to panic now. He doubted Gal would have anything bad to say about Drake even if he did, but he knew how important it was to Drake to make a good impression. His old pack might not have been as bad or complicated as Chris’s, but it didn’t mean he had many good memories or experiences.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Drake said as he stopped in front of the door to Gal’s office.

Chris turned to reassure him, but the door flew open before he could say anything. Liam squinted at them, and his gaze stopped on Drake. “Why don’t you think you can do it?”

Drake opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. “I’m really sorry,” he blurted out.

Liam waved his words away. “I’m serious. Why are you so nervous?”

“Because you’re the alpha mate, and you’re intimidating.”

Drake looked like he’d rather be anywhere but here, but it was too late for him to change his mind. Liam had him, and Chris could hear Gal in the office. He had to be listening to them, which meant he’d heard everything.

Liam snorted. “Intimidating? Me?”

Chris had to press his lips together. He understood where Liam was coming from. Even though he was the alpha mate, he looked gentle, which made sense because he was a gentle man. He was on the tall side, although nowhere near as tall as his mate, but he was slight, with dark blond hair and kind brown eyes. He made people feel at ease, which helped in his position.

“I suspect that’s because of your position as my mate,” Gal said from inside the office. “Let them in, will you?”

Liam stepped to the side. Chris walked into the office, but Drake didn’t follow. He stared at Chris with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open, a wild light in his gaze.

He was panicking. Chris didn’t know how to help him, but he doubted that forcing him to come into the office would do anything good. “Breathe,” he said gently.

“I called the alpha mate intimidating to his face,” Drake said. “He’s going to kick me out of the pride, and I’m not even a real pride member yet. I ruined everything.”

“Nothing bad is going to happen,” Liam said. “If anything, I’m kind of happy that I’m intimidating. That’s not something that happens often.” He puffed out his chest. “Heard that, Gal? I’m intimidating.”

Gal had clearly had enough of waiting because he appeared behind Liam. He seemed amused as he wrapped an arm around his mate’s shoulders and kissed the top of his head. He could do that because he was six feet four and towered over all of them.

“So very intimidating,” Gal agreed. His attention turned to Drake. “Why don’t you come into the office? I promise I won’t eat you.”

Chris hadn’t thought that Drake’s eyes could go even wider, but they did. He stared at Gal as if he was contemplating running away. He actually might be, so Chris grabbed his hand and pulled him into the office. “Stop panicking,” he murmured. “Gal and Liam like you. They’ve already made their decision, and this is just a way for you to get to know them and for them to get to know you. Just be yourself.”

“That’s never worked well in the past,” Drake pointed out.

Chris squeezed his hand. “I don’t know about that. I think it’s worked pretty well between us.”

Drake finally relaxed, although not a lot. He leaned against Chris as he took in the office. “It has worked pretty well with you, but you’re my mate. You kind of have to accept me.”

“I don’t have to do anything. I accepted you because I like you, and I’m not the only one. You have your friends, don’t you? They love you the way you are, as I’m sure other people do, too. You need to get out of your head.”

“Have you met me?” Drake asked, sounding amused.

“We haven’t yet, but we’ve been looking forward to it,” Gal said as he closed the door.

Drake jumped, and his smile fell.

Chris sighed. They’d been making progress, and he hoped they hadn’t lost all of it. At this point, Drake was nervous enough that he might run out the door screaming, and Chris wasn’t ready to run after him.

But if he had to, he would.

* * * *

Drake was all over the place, and he hated it. When he’d left his apartment, he’d told himself he could do this, that he could be relaxed and suave and impress the alpha and his mate. Now that he was here, he knew that he couldn’t do it.

It didn’t seem to matter. He didn’t need to impress Chris because they were mates, and the alpha and the alpha mate seemed to like him even though he was a mess. It was hard to believe, and he still wasn’t entirely sure he trusted whatever was going on, but as the alpha gestured at the couch under one of the wide windows, he told himself that whatever happened, it didn’t matter. As long as he and Chris were happy, he didn’t have to be a pride member. It would make things awkward if he and Chris couldn’t move in together when they were ready, but they’d find a way to make it work. Chris didn’t have to live in the pride house. Right now, he wanted to because that was where his family was, and Drake would never ask him to choose, but they had time. Even if it took them years to move in together, that would be fine.

He sat on the edge of the couch, ready to bolt, even though he didn’t think he’d have a reason to. Chris rolled his eyes and pulled him back, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to slide him closer. Drake squeaked, then berated himself for making such a sound in front of the alpha.

“I’ve been curious about you for a while,” the alpha mate said as he sat down.

Drake glanced at the alpha, his eyes widening when he saw that the man was getting drinks ready. It wasn’t his job.

“I have been, too,” the alpha said as he handed his mate a glass of soda. “Chris, what can I give you?”

“A soda is fine.”

The alpha nodded. “Drake?”

Drake gaped. “A glass of water will be perfect, Alpha.”

The alpha winced. “Please call me by my name. I realize I’m the alpha, but I’ve never subscribed to calling alphas by their title. I don’t believe it shows respect, just tradition.”

Drake licked his lips and told himself not to mess this up. He couldn’t afford to. “Gal. A glass of water will be fine, thank you.”

Gal gave Drake a gentle smile and went to pour the drinks.

Drake couldn’t look away. His old pack hadn’t been a bad place to grow up, but there had always been a wide separation between the alpha and the people he considered to be on his level and everyone else. He hadn’t been treated quite like royalty, but people had to defer to him and call him by his title. It was what Drake was used to and what he’d grown up with, and it felt odd to have a man in Gal’s position ask him to use his name.

“Here you go,” Gal said as he handed Drake a glass of water.

He’d put ice in it, and Drake took a sip, grateful. His throat was parched.

“We talked with Dennis, Taylor, and Jacob,” Gal said as he sat down next to his mate.

Drake groaned. “You shouldn’t believe anything they said.”

For some reason that made the alpha laugh. “That’s pretty much what I expected. They only had good things to say about you, though. It’s clear they love you and that you’re a dear friend to them.”

Drake was glad to hear that. He always questioned his relationships, especially considering why his exes had dumped him. He never wanted to be too much, be it in romantic relationships or in friendships. Over the years, his friends had met the real him, and they loved him the way he was, but it was always a gamble with new people, especially new people who mattered so much. Gal could make or break Drake’s future in Green Hill. If he decided he didn’t want Drake around, Drake would be forced to leave.

“They’re dear friends to me, too,” he admitted. “They welcomed me when I didn’t know anyone here, and I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

“They mentioned that they told you that you could become a pride member in the past, but you refused.”

Drake stared down at his glass of water. He felt Chris’s arm squeeze around him, and he leaned against his side, needing the support. From everything he knew about Gal and the impression he had of him today, he didn’t think Gal would hold anything against him, but he couldn’t be a hundred percent sure.

He couldn’t be a hundred percent sure of anything in life, though. Chris could decide to dump him tomorrow. Hell, one of them could end up under a bus at any time. No matter how scared Drake was, he felt he owed it to himself and to Chris to take a leap of trust.

“I wasn’t sure it was what I wanted,” he admitted. “I left my birth pack before moving to Green Hill. I can’t say that things were bad there, but they weren’t good, either. The way the pack is led means that everyone bows down to the alpha. He can decide what we do for a living, and he can even influence who we marry. He can’t do anything about mates, of course, but any other relationship? He tries to shape them.”

Gal grimaced. “That doesn’t sound fun.”

“It’s not. My parents were mates. My mother died when I was born, and my father was forced to remarry. Well, it’s more that he was strongly pushed into the marriage, but I doubt good things would have happened if he’d refused. He wouldn’t have been killed or anything like that, but it would’ve had consequences, especially because the alpha chose one of his cousins as my father’s wife. My father and his new wife had more children, which was what the alpha wanted. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that even though the alpha wasn’t abusive or violent, he still used and manipulated us. We went along with what he ordered because we were afraid that if we didn’t, he’d kick us out.” Drake snorted. “Which I guess he kind of did.”

“I thought you’d left your pack,” Chris said.

Drake put down his glass of water on the coffee table and linked his fingers together. “It’s more that I left before I could get kicked out. The alpha talked to my father. He wanted me to marry one of the women in his family, I think a niece or something. I never really looked into it because I didn’t care. I wasn’t about to marry a woman I barely knew. I wouldn’t have even if I wasn’t gay, but telling the alpha all of that didn’t work. It was my duty to marry the woman my alpha chose for me. I decided to leave before I could be forced into it. I don’t know what he would have done if I just said no to his face, but I wasn’t about to stick around and find out.”

“So you had bad experiences with packs,” Gal said.

“I don’t know if I’d call it bad, but it certainly wasn’t a walk in the park. I left, and I told myself that I didn’t need a pack to survive.” Drake smiled. “I was right. I didn’t need a pack, and I’ve been thriving without one.”

“So that’s why you never wanted to become a pride member before, no matter how many times Dennis and the others asked you,” Liam said.

“I didn’t want to risk it, even though from everything I’d heard, you two are good leaders. I just felt it wasn’t worth it, especially since it wasn’t a requirement for staying in town. You even allowed me inside the house to visit my friends.”

“As I said, we’re a family,” Gal said. “We want the pride members to feel at home here because it is their home. That means inviting people over and having friends outside the pride.”

“I don’t know how much you know about the pride before Gal became alpha,” Liam interjected. “But the old alpha was an asshole. We were forbidden from leaving the house. It became worse over the years until eventually even those who had jobs outside the pride were forbidden from leaving the property. They lost everything, and for a while, I was convinced that the pride would disappear. With no money, it would have been impossible for us to continue surviving. Luckily, Gal stepped in.” He shook his head. “All of this is to tell you that I understand. Overbearing alphas are never a good thing, so it makes sense that you were wary of us and the pride.”

Drake could hardly believe it. It sounded like Liam truly understood where he was coming from, which seemed too good to be true. He half expected Liam and Gal to start laughing and tell him they were kidding, but it never happened.

“Well, no one is forced to do anything in our pride,” Gal said. “Of course, we require that you have a job and that you contribute if you live in the house, but that’s about it. The happiness of our pride members is what matters the most.” He paused. “Do you think you could be happy here?” he asked Drake.

* * * *

That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? Could Drake be happy with the pride?

Chris hoped he could. He didn’t want to leave his family, but he would if that was what Drake wanted and needed. Chris would never force him to stay in a place where he didn’t feel at ease, but he didn’t want to lose the pride like he’d lost the pack.

He’d already lost too much, from his mother to the place he’d called home for his entire life, and he wasn’t sure he’d survive anything else.

Drake was still cuddled against Chris’s side, and it felt like he was trying to burrow even deeper. The only way to do that would be for Drake to climb into Chris’s lap, but Chris doubted he’d do it. He knew Drake wanted to make a good impression on Gal and Liam. He’d been panicking at the thought of them thinking badly of him, but everything had gone well. It was clear that, as far as Gal and Liam were concerned, Drake was already a pride member.

The decision was in Drake’s hands.

“I think I could be,” Drake said eventually. “It’s weird and exciting and a bit scary, but yeah. Maybe it’s time for me to stop being afraid of what being a pride member will mean.”

“If it helps, I won’t ever order you to marry anyone,” Gal offered. “I wouldn’t do that even if I didn’t know you’ve met your mate. People should be free to choose who they want to be with and who to love. I also don’t force pride members to become parents if that’s not what they want. I don’t care if the pride vanishes in ten or twenty years. Some shifter groups do, and it’s the most natural thing in the world. People move, fall in love with people who belong to other prides, and that’s that.”

Chris looked down at Drake. They hadn’t mentioned kids, and he didn’t think they were ready to talk about it, let alone have them. They weren’t ready for a lot of things, but that was okay. They would be eventually.

“So are you our newest pride member?” Gal asked with a smile.

The answering smile Drake gave him took Chris’s breath away. He’d always found Drake attractive, but over the past few weeks, Drake had relaxed and looked more comfortable in his own skin, which made him even more beautiful. Now that he’d talked to Gal, he was behaving more naturally, which was all Chris wanted. He needed Drake to be comfortable here and to feel like this place could become his home.

Drake straightened, which unfortunately pushed him slightly away from Chris. “I believe I am,” he confirmed. “If that’s all right with you, I’ll be staying at my apartment for a bit longer.”

“We have pride members who live in town, so that’s not a problem. You’ll learn soon that, as a pride, we’re pretty open and free. As long as they warn me, I don’t have anything against pride members living in town or even a bit further away. I don’t care who they marry or bond with. I don’t care what job they do, but I’m always ready to help them. If you ever need anything, you just have to say the word, and Liam and I will do whatever we can to help you.”

“Thank you,” Drake breathed out. “It’s hard to believe that I can really have this and that it’s real, so thank you.”

“You probably shouldn’t thank us just yet,” Liam warned. “You haven’t met the rest of the pride. You might change your mind and run away screaming.”

“I doubt I will.”

Chris didn’t think Drake would, either. Chris had heard about some pride members not being nice people, but that wouldn’t stop Drake from being happy here. Most pride members were welcoming and warm, if a bit wary, but that would change. Eventually, both Chris and Drake would feel like they belonged, and when they did, they’d be part of the family.

Chris hadn’t been left behind the way he’d feared he was. When Kyle had met Dennis and Jennifer had become such good friends with Annabelle, he’d felt like his family was abandoning him. It hadn’t gotten easier after he’d found out that his grandfather was dating a tiger shifter.

But he hadn’t been abandoned. They’d always be in his life, but they also needed to dedicate time to being happy. Chris could do the same now. It wouldn’t be easy, and he and Drake would have to work hard to find their footing and make their relationship work, but that was fine with Chris. It would give him something to focus on, and the reward would be a happy future, so what more could he want?

Gal leaned forward and placed a gentle hand on one of Drake’s hands. “Welcome to the pride, Drake.”

Drake’s smile was blinding. It made Chris want to bundle him up and drag him to his room, but instead, he let go of his mate so Drake could lean forward and pull Gal into a hug. Gal made a squeaking sound and laughed, hugging Drake back.

“Sorry about that,” Drake quickly said as he moved away.

“It’s fine. You don’t have to be afraid of me or of what will happen if you do something without asking me first. Remember that this is a family more than a pride.”

“I’ll try,” he promised.

Chris made a mental note to remind him every day that he was part of this family and that Gal wanted him there. Considering what he knew of Drake, he had no doubt that it would take him time to settle and actually believe that the pride was his home. It would be Chris’s job to remind him of that in the meantime, and he was ready to do it. He only ever wanted his mate to be happy, and Drake would be happy if he felt welcome within the pride.

They didn’t stay long in Gal’s office after that. It was clear that Drake was overwhelmed and a bit weepy, and after smiling gently at him, Liam all but kicked them out. He winked at Chris, hugged Drake, and stepped back. “I’m sure Chris wants to show you his room.”

Drake’s cheeks flushed, but Chris just rolled his eyes. He might not have been a pride member for long, but he already knew Liam well enough. “Very funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny. Your mate will want to see the place where he’ll spend the nights when he’s here.”

“Maybe I’ll move into his apartment,” Chris grumbled.

“If you do, let us know. We can give your room to someone else.”

They probably wouldn’t, but there was no way Chris would leave the house anytime soon. He might eventually, but for now, he was home.

“They’re not what I expected,” Drake said as they walked away.

Chris was going to take him to his room. He just hadn’t wanted to give Liam the satisfaction. “They’re pretty laid-back,” Chris agreed. “My old alpha doesn’t sound anything like your old alpha, but he was a dick anyway. Gal is nothing like him, and I’m glad.”

“I still feel like they might regret letting me into the pride. I mean, I was on my best behavior, but I still messed up.”

“They’re not going to regret letting you into the pride. They wouldn’t have done it if they weren’t convinced it was the right thing to do. You have to give people a chance to love you for who you are instead of the version you show people. The people who actually care about you will take you as you are.”

That included Chris. He didn’t want another mate. He didn’t want another version of his mate. He wanted Drake, with his babbling and neediness and energy. He was the perfect man for Chris.

Chris could only hope to be the perfect man for him.

* * * *

Drake hoped Chris was right. It was one thing to believe your mate could like you for who you were—and he still wasn’t completely convinced of that—but it was another thing entirely when it came to a bunch of people Drake barely knew. In a way, Chris had to like him because of the bond they shared. That didn’t go for Gal or the pride, and they didn’t have a reason to keep Drake happy. That meant that if they didn’t like him, they wouldn’t hesitate to tell him.

It hurt to think they might. Drake had been trying hard to stay away from the pride, telling himself that he didn’t need them and was fine on his own, that he hadn’t realized that maybe that wasn’t the case. He didn’t want to go back to his birth pack and had never really felt at home there, but something told him that here, he could. Maybe it was because Chris was a pride member, or maybe it was because of his friends, but Drake could see himself settling down with the pride.

But what if they didn’t like him? What if they decided they didn’t want him here? No matter what Gal said, he wouldn’t be able to ignore it if some pride members decided that was what they wanted. He’d have to give in to their demands, even if it meant kicking Drake out.

Chris stopped walking, and since he was holding Drake’s hand, Drake had to do the same. He didn’t argue when Chris pulled him closer. He was curious to see what would happen, but more than that, he was always okay with Chris cuddling him.

But Chris didn’t cuddle him. Instead, he looked down at him, his eyes narrow as if he were trying to read him.

“You don’t believe me.”

Drake looked away. It was harder to lie to Chris when he was looking him in the eyes. “I never said that.”

“You don’t have to say it. I can see you don’t believe that the pride wants you.”

“I believe that Gal wants me to be a pride member. I believe you want that, too, and Dennis and my other friends, but what about everyone else? Shouldn’t they have a say in it?”

“Not really. Gal is the only one who has a say in who becomes a pride member, and he told you that you were one. Isn’t that enough?”

It should be, but not for Drake. “What if they, like, revolt because they want me out? Gal will have to listen to them then.”

Chris snorted and slapped his free hand over his mouth. His eyes were wide now, and Drake couldn’t avoid noticing how hard he was trying not to laugh. Eventually, he broke down and did, mirth shaking his body.

Drake wasn’t offended, but he was confused. He didn’t understand what was so funny about this.

“Sorry, but I keep imagining some of the pride members storming Gal’s office and demanding for you to be kicked out, and it’s funny.”

“I don’t find it funny,” Drake grumbled.

“That’s because you think it could happen, but it won’t.” Chris grabbed both of Drake’s shoulders. “Look, what’s the worst that can happen? And don’t say that someone might hold Gal at gunpoint and force him to kick you out because that’s not gonna happen. Try to stay realistic.”

“Everyone but you and my best friends will hate me.”

“That’s not realistic. Yes, some people might dislike you. Hell, some might hate you. I’m sure some pride members hate me and my family and want us out, but that doesn’t mean we’ll leave. Gal would never allow anyone to force his hand one way or another. Besides, why would people hate you?”

“I’m sure a lot of people hate me.” It certainly felt like it most days.

“Most people don’t even think about you, Drake. I know that what you’ve been through with your exes hasn’t been great, but the fact that they were idiots and couldn’t see what was in front of them isn’t your problem. I’ll tell you that I like you as you are as many times as you need to hear it, but you’re going to have to believe it eventually.”

“What if I never do?” Drake whispered.

“Then I’ll keep repeating it until you do. I don’t care if half the pride hates you. I don’t, and I want you in my life. We can learn to navigate the pride together, all right?”

There was no way Drake could say no to that. Not being a part of the pride had been fine when he was on his own. Now that he had Chris, though, he couldn’t imagine being on the outside looking in. Chris was a pride member, and it made sense that Drake was one, too.

“And don’t go trying to change yourself for these people,” Chris continued. “I understand that you want them to have a good impression and to like you, but that’s not going to work if you show them someone who isn’t you. If they’re going to like you, they should like the real you, just like I do.”

Drake pressed closer and kissed Chris. The middle of the hallway probably wasn’t the best place to do that, but he didn’t care. He wanted Chris to know how important this was to him, and he couldn’t find the words, so hopefully, a kiss would work just as well.

Chris made a pleased sound deep in his throat and wrapped his arms around Drake. He turned, making Drake squeak when his back hit the wall.

“Get a room,” someone yelled from the other side of the hallway.

Drake’s entire body flushed, and he tried to push Chris away, but Chris didn’t let go. He flipped off whoever had spoken, then dragged Drake down the hallway, not once letting go of him. It was as if he needed Drake as close as possible, which wasn’t a hardship because Drake wanted the same.

He could hardly believe he would have this for the rest of his life, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. No matter how complicated things were or felt, no matter how little he believed in himself, Chris would always be there. He believed in Drake much more than Drake ever had, and maybe that was what Drake needed. Maybe eventually, he’d be able to believe in himself the way Chris did.

In the meantime, Chris would do it for him.

Drake had visited the pride house a few times, but he was so focused on the feeling of Chris walking beside him that he barely paid attention to where they were in the house. He wasn’t surprised when Chris unlocked a door, though.

He pulled Drake inside, slammed the door shut, and pressed Drake against it. He was clearly intent on finishing what they’d started in the hallway, and Drake was all for it. He wanted to climb his mate like a tree, and now that they were alone, he could.

Drake pressed a kiss against Chris’s jaw, then his cheek, and finally, his lips. Drake grinned at him, wide and happy, and bent to kiss Drake’s neck. “What would you think about moving here?”

It took Drake’s brain a second to make sense of the words. “Here as in the pride house, or here as in this bedroom which is clearly yours?”

“Technically, both. If you move into my room, you’ll be moving into the pride house.”

“As happy as I am to be a pride member, I don’t really care about the pride house beyond the fact that you live here.”

Chris closed his teeth around the sensitive skin of Drake’s neck. Drake yelped and clung harder to him. “Don’t be a smartass,” Chris said before licking the spot he’d just bitten.

It wasn’t a mating bite, which was a relief. Drake wanted to bond with Chris—in fact, there was little he wanted more—but not right now. He felt that he needed to believe in their relationship and in himself more before they could take that step. That was all right, though. They were together, and Chris had asked him to move in with him. A mating bite on their necks wasn’t going to change how they felt about each other.

Drake wouldn’t call it love yet, but it would be soon. He couldn’t wait, but at the same time, he wanted to explore this first phase of their relationship. He wanted to find out more about Chris, to know what Chris looked like first thing in the morning, what he liked and disliked, and how to make him smile.

“Maybe in a few weeks?” he offered.

He half expected Chris not to be happy about it, but Chris smiled again, and Drake thought everything would be okay. Chris wouldn’t always like him. Sometimes, he would be annoyed at him, maybe even angry, but that was all right. They’d find a way to make things work.

Drake was sure of it.

“We can talk about it again in a few weeks,” Chris promised. “And if you’re not ready then, we’ll talk about it a few more weeks after that. I don’t want us to rush into anything, Drake. We don’t have to. We have plenty of time to get to know each other and fall in love.”

They wouldn’t need plenty of time, because when Chris said things like that, Drake fell in love with him just a bit more. All these occasions would add up until the day Drake realized that he was head over heels in love with him and couldn’t imagine his life without him.

To be fair, he already couldn’t, but that was a big thing to say after they’d just agreed to take things slow.

He hoped Chris would understand his answer when he kissed him. He was at a loss for words, but he didn’t think it mattered because they understood each other. When Chris reached down and grabbed Drake’s ass, he didn’t have to say anything for Drake to hop up and wrap his legs around his waist.

Drake enjoyed the feeling of his mate pinning him against the door. He wanted to be as close as humanly possible to his mate while still being dressed.

Chris used the fact that his body was keeping Drake upright to allow his hands to roam over his body. They were still clothed, but they didn’t have to be naked for Drake to feel how hard Chris was for him. Knowing that his mate was reacting to him gave him a thrill, and he squeezed his legs around Chris’s waist, enjoying the startled sound Chris made. It was quickly followed by a growl, and Chris kissed Drake harder, dominating his mouth as if he wanted to leave his imprint inside of it.

Chris slipped a hand under Drake’s sweater, his fingers finding one of his nipples almost instantly. Drake moaned and threw his head back, but that didn’t stop Chris from kissing him. He just moved his lips downward, trailing over Drake’s neck, biting once against the spot where Drake was convinced his mating bite would be soon.

They rutted against each other, using the door to keep them from falling on their faces. It took Drake’s breath away, and not just because he was pinned against the door. Anything Chris did made Drake feel like he couldn’t quite breathe.

He almost stopped breathing when Chris pushed a hand between Drake’s back and the door. It was a tight fit, but he managed to wiggle his hand into the back of Drake’s jeans, cupping his ass. One of his fingers strayed too close to Drake’s crack, and Drake jerked forward instinctively pushing their cocks together. The friction was maddening, and when Chris bit him again, Drake couldn’t stop himself from coming.

It was fast and messy, but that was him, wasn’t it? If Chris truly wanted him for who he was, then he wouldn’t mind this, either.

Chris didn’t stop moving. He kneaded Drake’s ass and continued thrusting against him, panting against his neck as he chased his pleasure. There wasn’t much Drake could do, considering the position he was in, but maybe he didn’t need to do anything. Maybe this would be enough.

It had been for him.

When Chris stiffened, Drake held on harder. He cradled Chris against his body, enjoying the last shallow thrusts of his hips and Chris’s warm breath on his skin. He enjoyed the sticky feeling in his underwear less, but he didn’t care.

“I’m not sure this is taking things slow,” Chris muttered, but he didn’t move away to let Drake down.

Drake carded his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know about that. We didn’t even get naked.”

Chris looked up, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Maybe that could be arranged.”

Drake grinned. He had a list of things he wanted to do with Chris, and they had a future together during which they could do all those things.

Chris liked Drake just the way he was and wanted to be with him. It wasn’t something Drake had ever truly believed he’d get, but he had it, and he wasn’t letting go.