More Than Pride Read Free

rooms or remote outside locations.
    “Oh.” Chester blushed a bright red. “Yeah, I didn’t think about that. I-I like you touching me.”
    Dillon brushed his lips across the top of Chester’s head, his chest tightening with unnamed emotions. “Wait here and I’ll get you some clothes.” He vanished down the hall before he could give up on his resolve not to molest a complete stranger in his pride family’s kitchen.
     
    Chester stood perfectly still as Dillon walked away. Betraying the kind shifter would break his heart. When he’d agreed to give in to the humans’ blackmail, he hadn’t thought about the people he’d be spying on. Apparently, word among shifter hate groups was that the lion prides were difficult to infiltrate, but open to other shifters.
    The poison they’d injected into Chester’s body would kill him in five days if he didn’t come back with news about the pride. Having a photographic memory, he’d be able to draw them a map and tell them all about the pride members and any weaknesses. Chester didn’t want to die—not when he’d never really had a chance to live. However, after meeting Dillon, Chester didn’t want to hurt him, either.
    A loud beep from the microwave announced that his stew was finished. Chester’s stomach growled in response, as if it knew the food was for him and wanted it now.

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“Shhh, you’re lucky I don’t starve you.” The poison slowly moving its way through his system would kill him way before starvation anyway.
    “Still naked, kitty cat?” The owl shifter had found clothing somewhere and now had a pair of jeans and a tight T-shirt lovingly caressing his thin body. Chester quickly swallowed his drool. He hadn’t forgiven the owl for his part in causing Chester’s moment of terror. The fear from being snatched off the ground and dangled from a pair of large talons lived fresh in his mind.
    “Um, Dillon went to get me clothes,” he said in a shaky voice.
    The owl shifter’s hot gaze slid up and down Chester’s body, a visual caress. Chester shivered beneath the stare.
    “I think it would be a shame to cover you.” Evin’s deep voice poured across Chester like warm chocolate. He barely stopped the responding purr. He had a feeling that any show of weakness and Evin would have him ass up on the closest surface despite what Dillon had said about no sex in the kitchen.
    Chester cleared his throat. “Dillon thought it would be best if I had clothes so I don’t upset the others.” He didn’t mention what Dillon had said about fucking him.
    Avoiding the owl shifter, he scurried over to the microwave and took out the bowl of hot soup. Luckily the glass hadn’t got too hot because Chester needed the distraction. He opened and closed several drawers before he found a spoon, but at least the search had kept his gaze away from the sexy owl man.
    “What are you doing here, little one?”
    Chester slammed the drawer shut. “I’m not little,” he growled. He could almost feel his hackles rise.
    Evin settled on a stool on the opposite side of the counter, keeping his motions slow and non-threatening. “I didn’t mean to anger you, Chester. I’m just having some fun.”
    Chester took a bite of the stew. The chunks of vegetables and meat were welcome additions to his empty stomach. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a solid meal.
    They hadn’t been big on feeding him during his time in the cage. After three months of barely any food and constant beatings he’d been willing to agree to just about anything to get out of there. Unfortunately his captors had figured that out, which was why they’d injected

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him and his brother with poison. If he didn’t care about dying himself, they were hoping the idea of his brother’s death would keep him compliant.
    He knew they weren’t bluffing. They’d shown him the bodies of the shifters who’d refused them before.
    Swallowing back the bile rising in his throat at the memory, Chester set