--- Nathan's POV---

I blinked my eyes sleepily, wondering why I woke up so suddenly. Flashes of the previous evening and the exhausting night spread through my mind, which instantly had me wide awake as I chuckled lowly.

Hmmm, was this just because we were newly mated or was this something that would last throughout our whole relationship? Either way, I couldn't get enough of Alec and it seemed that he was insatiable as well.

A slight pinching sensation spread through my chest, making me frown as I pushed myself up on my forearms and looked down. My lycan soon started purring, matching the rumbling sound that hummed through Alec's chest.

His mop of white hair was spilled over my chest as he slowly nuzzled against my side. I had learned quite swiftly that Alec was a cuddle bug at night. It seemed that somewhere during the night, he had managed to wiggle against my side, burying one arm underneath me while his other hand rested on my chest, hugging me around the waist.

As the pinching sensation continued, I grinned when I detected his hands slowly flexing and relaxing against my side and stomach. For a moment, I couldn't recall why that as a good thing until my inner beast grunted and flashed me his emotions of Happy-exited-Mate! before he dutifully filled in the blanks.

"He's kneading, dumb human. A happy cat is a purring and kneading cat."

I shook my head slightly and grinned even wider, reaching down to trace a finger over Alec's features. He let out a happy sigh in his sleep before he started wiggling closer. I didn't mind one bit and hauled him closer, nearly pulling him on my chest.

When he moaned softly and settled down, I had a hard time relaxing myself. Closing my eyes for a second, I took in a deep and calming breath before trying to decide what to do for today.

The school had called a few times, politely informing me that Alec was supposed to at least finish his mate-classes, but that was before they knew about him being mated to me. And before we found out that there was a whole other breed of shifters out there.

That made me realize that we could actually learn something from Alec and his siblings...Maybe they'd feel more for teaching than having to actually be in the class. It was something that I'd had to discuss with them, along with my mating with Alec.

With a snort, I buried my fingers in Alec's hair and smiled. Well, one of his brothers had clearly seen a bit too much to his liking yesterday. I had spotted Liam before but most of my senses were aimed at my teasing and tempting mate, so I hadn't paid him any mind.

But, I imagine his brothers wanted to make sure that Alec was taken care off and that I treated him well. Now that I've thought about it, I was quite sure that neither of the brothers had thought about a job for themselves.

I sighed and slowly slipped out of the bed, grinning at the small disgruntled huffs and annoyed sounds Alec made before he grabbed my pillow and buried his face in it. It created a fuzzy feeling in my chest as my eyes followed the sleepy smile spreading over Alec's plump and swollen lips before I shook my head.

"Maybe I need to give my mate a moment to recover..." The thought was instantly replied with an annoyed growl from my Lycan as I slowly slipped out of the room, snatching a pair of sweatpants from the floor.

We might be newly mated, yes, but that didn't mean that I had to jump Alec until he was exhausted. I smirked slightly as I remembered that it had been Alec that actually chased after me the last time. Surely I was the victim in this play, and Alec was taking advantage off me?

Off course, I'm as willing as I could be. Who am I to refuse my mate when he wants to love and make love to me, as I love him and his body in the same way?

"You look like the cat that ate the canary."

I shot a sideways glance at Drake, who was lying on the couch, his hands folded underneath his head while his eyes followed my every movement. He winched slightly when I went to the kitchen to prepare us some food, showing him my back.

"Damn, you guys don't know when to stop, huh? Keep going like this and you'll look like a piece of minced meat." He joked, grinning when I let out a chuckle of my own. The scrapes on my back were barely healed from our last round and they did sting a bit, but the reminder of how I got them was enough to get my blood boiling again.

"Say, could you do me a favor Drake?" I asked slowly as a thought came to mind. When the vampire nodded, I added, "I want you to check with Alec's brothers and then contact one of your friends in the neighboring covens. Just inform if they happen to stumble upon the three brothers. I want to know if there might be a past behind them."

Drake slowly pushed himself up with a thoughtful expression. "With all due respect Nathan, but...shouldn't you ask Alec or even Liam and Marcus about that? It seems like you want to know behind their backs..."

I shook my head slightly as I whisked the eggs and slid them in the pan. "No, because I'll be asking them right now, or at least once you informed them that I want to speak with all the brothers. But what they don't know, they can't tell Drake. If someone from their past is following them, I want to know why and I wanna know who the hell is sniffing for information."

A slight frown appeared on Drake's face and I knew what my best friend was thinking; surely, there wouldn't be someone after the siblings? But after learning that they were feline shifters, for all we knew, there could be someone hunting them.

If even the elders of our village had never encountered one of their kind before, then I'm quite sure that feline shifters are rather rare or elusive. Wolves and Lycans that wanted to improve their own rating wanted nothing more than a rare and illusive mate.

A low growl rumbled through my chest, my lycan instantly on guard and shoving against my conscious. There was no way in hell that I would lose my mate after finding him. If anyone so much as dared to look at him with anything else than respect in their eyes, I would give complete control to my Lycan, for him to deal with the threat as he pleased.

And I can assure you; it wouldn't be a pleasant sight.

---Alec's POV---

A small huff escaped my lips as I toppled back over and face-planted the bed. With a muffled groan, I pushed myself back up and bit my lip at the throbbing soreness of my muscles. Hehe, maybe we overdid it a bit last night?

Shaking my head as an answer, I was quite proud to walk with a barely there lip towards the shower, knowing that I needed time to heal and for my muscles to relax. I was a shifter, so I could take it but damn...every night spent with Nathan was making me hungry for the next one.

Okay, I'm insatiable for my mate! Curling my nose as the warm water hit my skin, I quickly scrubbed myself from head to toe while reaching out with my mind. Nathan was already awake, obviously, but I didn't know if he was in the house or not.

Hmmm, I can smell fried eggs and bacon. Damn, Nathan sure treats me well, and I knew without a doubt that when I was out of the shower and dried up, there would be a steaming plate of delicious breakfast waiting for me downstairs.

When I walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, I grinned as Nathan gave me a teasing wink and placed a glass beside my breakfast. The damned man knew I had been trying to get up before him to return the favor but darn him, it seemed like he never slept!

He was always the last one to fall asleep but the first to get up. The only time I had actually witnessed him sleeping was when I got up in the middle of the night to empty my bladder . And even then he had woken up simply to make sure nothing was wrong.

I grinned and purred as Nathan nuzzled my cheek and throat before he sat beside me. "Where's your food?" I asked as I dug in. He shrugged slightly, smiling as I narrowed my eyes playfully when he said, "I was awake before you and already had breakfast."

A dimple appeared in Nathan's cheek as his grin widened and for a moment, I wanted to nip at his cheek because that dimple was just so adorable! Though I doubt my though and muscular mate wanted to be labeled something as cute or adorable.

"What?"

I blinked and bit my lip when I realized I had been staring at him with my fork still stuck between my lips. Shaking my head, I quickly finished my plate before squeaking in surprise when Nathan lifted me up and cuddled me against him. His muscular arms braced around me, capturing me and holding me in place.

"Why were you laughing at me Alec? Am I that amusing?" He asked in my ear, making me shiver and chuckle at the same time because of the slightly ticklish sensation of his lips and breath brushing over my ear.

"Stop it!" I snorted, slapping at his hands when they decided to share in the tickling. All I got was a chuckle before his fingers started dancing all over my ribs and stomach, which off course made me shriek and wriggle, trying to get away.

"Although I'm happy you to are getting along, I don't see a reason as to why we need to be here." Marcus' calm voice rang through the air. I gasped breathlessly, trying to calm down while giving Nathan's thigh a pinch when he smirked down at me victoriously.

"Wasn't it you that said...sharing is caring?"

My brother laughed before he smugly replied," Sharing is indeed caring but I don't need to know when you and your mate are getting it on. I don't want you to over-share like you did with Liam."

I frowned slightly, confused because as far as I knew, I hadn't exactly overshared anything with my sibling. But when I shot one look at Liam, or rather his quite amusing blush, it settled in that I might have accidently overshared something. But hell if I know when or what!

Nathan chuckled behind me as he nuzzled my neckline. "Sorry bout that by the way." He apologized, making Liam shake his head with a small grin. "Nah man, everything's cool. It wasn't your fault exactly, though I'd rather not see my brother running around naked or being chased by his mate."

Oh my god! He saw Nathan chasing me to the door? I haven't even spotted Liam back then...

Another rare flush graced my cheeks and caused a bout of laughter as both Marcus and Liam poked at my cheeks and cooed playfully until I shoved them away and scowled at them. I can't control when I blush!

"Seriously though, why were we called here?" Marcus asked while splaying himself in the couch. Liam followed his example and settled on the opposite side, making me smirk slightly before I looked up towards Nathan.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you guys are laughing with me." Liam scowled at my grin before I wiggled my eyebrows slightly. "You told me not to overshare so..." I trailed off with a shrug and winked at Marcus when he first eyed Liam's couch and then us before he snorted with amusement.

Maybe Nathan could make some furniture that was strong enough for the both of us? Because the couch Liam had chosen to sit on was already displaying marks from my claws on the cushions.

I laughed when Liam vaulted up as soon as he noticed the claw marks and curled his nose in disgust. He promptly shifted into his leopard and stalked to where Nathan and I were sitting, hissing in disdain as I ruffled through his fur.

After a few minutes, Nathan squeezed my side before he sighed deeply. "Actually, I wanted to ask you guys a few questions. I'd like to know more of things of your past, like where are your parents, where were you born and more importantly, have you guys made any enemies along the way?"

Nathan's eyes flashed golden as he stared down at us and I swallowed deeply before glancing back at my brothers. Marcus sat upright, pressing his fingers together as he thought for a moment with a slight frown on his face.

"I can understand your curiosity but...our past isn't one to take lightly and once I start, I don't want this village to regard me or my siblings differently." Nathan's fingers tightened around my hips as He pulled me closer before he growled out, "Are you three in danger from your past?"

We all shared a look before I sighed deeply and nuzzled Nathan's throat when Marcus replied shortly, "We might be." I pressed myself closer to Nathan and prepared myself, because this was going to be a rather long tale to tell.