Lion's Match

by Jasmine Alexander

  Cale wouldn’t admit that he was pissed because they could find no trace of the woman, but Owen knew that it must be ripping a hole in him, not knowing where his mate was. If she was okay or if he would ever find her. Even if she were here now, his alpha still had issues and her humanity was a big problem. Cale should look past everything, and look at the gift he had been given, but the male was stubborn and wouldn’t easily change his mind. Owen just hoped they would find her. Soon.

  Jesse, one of the newer members of their clan came rolling out of the training room landing a few feet away from Owen and Nico. Just then, Lena joined them, staring down at the panting wolf, who was almost still a pup.

  “Ow. Did that hurt?” Lena asked seriously, and they all turned to look at her quizzically. She regarded them all.

  “What? It looks like it hurt but since I haven’t been thrown around by a big ole lion, I wouldn’t know.” She inquired. “If my research has shown me anything it’s that I need to know how much damage each type of shifter can take.” She was quite serious, causing them all to let out a sigh.

  Lena was a genius. Literally. Unfortunately, there weren’t many schools for a genius shifter. Or any, really. So she was relegated to the local high school a couple of years earlier. She did her school work in ten minutes and spent the rest of the time researching. She wanted to know everything about every species of shifter because she was going to be a doctor and treat shifters. At all of fifteen she was a little odd but everyone loved her. Daughter of the alpha aside, she inspired loyalty on her own. Always there to help the clan kids and adults with anything. Owen might have been worried about her out in the world as she grew since she had yet to shift but he had seen her with a knife and knew no one with any brains would attempt to hurt her. If they did, she could handle it. Or she could call an entire clan and town of shifters to do her bidding.

  It was kind of scary to think that world domination wouldn’t be too high a goal for her, but luckily she was sane, if a little different. Mostly.

  “Yes, Lena. It hurt. Man your dad is really focused on training,” Jesse observed as he got up and dusted himself off.

  Lena informed them, “Oh, this isn’t about training. He’s taking out his sexual frustration in a physical way.” As if she were simply saying she wanted jam on her toast. Jesse looked at her in horror, clearly not yet used to the blunt young woman.

  “What?” Jesse sputtered.

  “You see, my father met his mate a few months ago. However, him being a giant lion who acts before thinking he drove her away. These two still haven’t found her.” She gestured to Owen and Nico. “So, he is taking the frustration out on you.”

  “Not to doubt you, but why would he be frustrated? On any given day there are beautiful women all over the place, trying to get to the alpha. He could have any woman he wants.” Jesse seemed genuinely confused and they took pity on him.

  “Don’t worry about it, kid. Go get cleaned up. Your day is your own tomorrow.” Nico pushed the young man toward the giant clan house. Jesse went without argument.

  Owen and Nico turned to Lena, who was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, and her eyebrow raised at them.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “Well what?” Owen asked on a sigh, too tired to deal with this today.

  “You clearly haven’t found her so what’s next? We can’t just leave him like this!” she insisted.

  “We are doing everything we can. What else would you suggest?” Nico asked, smirking. She glared at them both and might have even stomped her foot if she hadn’t been so in control of herself.

  “I expect…” Before Lena could finish, Caleb came out of the training room with a leggy blonde clinging to him. Since they hadn’t seen her go in, she must have come from the other side. She crooned at the alpha.

  “That bump must be uncomfortable. Let’s go put something on it.” Every word out of her mouth was suggestive. The two passed not paying much attention to the three watching their every move.

  Once they disappeared into the house, Lena turned back to the betas. She was very insistent. “I expect you to keep these women away from him until she turns up. Shifter or not, his mate would know if he were to stoop so low as to have sex with one of them after he met her.”

  Owen tried to placate. “Look, sweets, we don’t like them hovering around like vultures any more than you do. He’s our alpha. We can try to stop him but in the end, he’ll do what he wants.” Clearly it wasn’t working when she beamed him the brightest smile he’d seen from her in a while. That was never a good sign.

  “Let me put it this way. If he marries, mates, or moves that super-skank into this house, I will spend the next three years as cat. And don’t think I won’t find some way to force the change. I’m not concerned that it hasn’t happened yet. It will. In time. However, if I am pushed I will force it, and it will probably be painful. See how everyone likes looking at cat Lena until I leave for college.” With that, she turned on her little teenage-terror feet and walked calmly away.

  “Aw man. You know she’s serious. Everyone will be furious if she stays in cat form. Even more upset if she forces the change. That will hurt. Everyone will blame us.” Nico complained. Owen agreed with him, but he wasn’t sure where to start with the women circling.

  “Let’s go get the supplies we need in town. We’ll have to think of something,” Owen insisted.

  * * * *

  Cale went up to his bedroom alone, much to Kalli’s dismay. She had made it perfectly clear that she would assist him with anything he required. He knew he should just take her up on her offer. She would be a good alpha female. She was dominant, fierce, would give him kits, his parents would approve, and she was a lioness. Kalli was also gorgeous. Almost six feet of slender muscle, short blonde hair, and big blue eyes. She had a perfect body, slender waist, awesome rack, and a nice firm ass. So why couldn’t he get more excited about it?

  Her. The short, curvy woman with long brown hair and fuckable lips. Her scent still lingered with him and it made him hard just thinking about her. He got into the shower and let the water pour over him. He pictured her there, before him, on her knees. Her mouth wide open, waiting patiently for him to plunge his cock into that delectable mouth. He groaned and fisted his aching cock. He rocked forward into his own hand, imagining it was her perfect mouth. Over and over he pumped his fist, imagining it was her suctioning mouth on him. He pushed his fingernail into the top of his slit, imagining it was her tongue dipping in for a taste of him. At the thought he started coming all over the shower. As he recovered and finished washing himself, he felt like an idiot.

  He didn’t even want a human mate. He should take what Kalli was offering. It would be good for the clan and she would be a good mate. He had to stop thinking about the woman who would never be in his life and focus on his future.

  He would start putting everything together. He would bring his parents here to formally introduce Kalli and start her on her duties. He knew his daughter was going to be a problem, but she would see the good in his decision. Eventually.

  Chapter Three

  “You should stay,” Indigo insisted as Eira continued to ignore the comment. “You can’t ignore me. I’m not going let up.” Indi kept going through the racks of the little clothes shop in town. They had really cute things and unlike the first time Eira had come here, everyone was perfectly nice.

  Eira still got some strange looks. She figured it was because she was a human traveling with a shifter. No one said anything, and they wouldn’t. They probably all assumed Eira didn’t know everything about her companion. They would be wrong. Eira tried explaining to her best friend. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t stick around for a while, Indi. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to stay permanently.”

  Indi was insistent. “Eira, this place is like a dream town. Since we were kids, we’ve talked about the ideal place to live. A place we were both safe, happy, and part of something bigger. You can’t let some jackass of a
lion run you off. I know he hurt you, but the Eira I know fights for what she wants.”

  It made Eira feel a little bad. Indigo and Eira had been friends for twenty years. Since meeting, they had never been apart for long periods of time. Just the occasional trip for Eira to check out a town before they could both move there. Indi was worried Eira would leave and never come back. There was no basis for her fear, just the worry that someone else would be taken from her.

  “Okay, Indi, listen. I’m not going anywhere. We have to find a clan or flock for you. Before you interrupt this is something that has to be done. We both know you need the connection and the extra protection wouldn’t hurt. I know you still need me, Indi, but as you’ve gotten older it’s changed. I’m not hurt or mad that you need more. It’s in your nature. Regardless of if I put down permanent roots, we will find you a place this time. I know it inside.”

  “I want you to stay,” Indi insisted, heatedly.

  “I know, Indi. But you and I both know that I might not be welcome. The lion’s attitude isn’t the only one. Many shifters won’t want a human around. Especially when they find out about my past.”

  “You were a kid, Eira. It isn’t your fault who you were born to.” The conversation had been had between the two of them many times. Indi insisted Eira couldn’t be blamed for the actions of her relatives. But Eira knew that some shifters wouldn’t care if she had been a child or not.

  “It doesn’t matter. I know we are going to find a place for you. I can feel it.” Eira knew Indigo would believe her. It was the truth. Eira knew with every part of her that this is where Indi would flourish. She wasn’t so sure about herself, but Indi was more important right now. Eira grabbed a deep blue dress that would be perfect for Indi and turned to her friend. Indi stood there a little shocked. Eira looked to see what had made her friend look like that. The shop owner was looking at Indi complexly.

  Eira didn’t think Indi was close enough to smell the owner, so she wouldn’t know that the somewhat tall, black-haired woman, was a raven and not looking at Indi like prey.

  Indi was by no means easy to hurt, but unfortunately to some shifters all she smelled like was prey. In human form she was a good height at five foot eight inches in bare feet, but she was also slender, graceful, and had long black hair with a blue-and-purple tint to it. Most people would assume her hair was dyed. But that was all Indi. She, like many other shifters, carried the colors of her shifted form in her hair. She didn’t look too intimidating, but with all of their experiences in life Eira had made sure that Indi could handle herself in either of her forms. Luckily, she didn’t have to often. That was what Eira was for.

  To defuse any potential misunderstandings, Eira walked over to the shop owner.

  “Hello, I’m Eira, and this is Indigo.” Eira introduced herself, extending her hand for the woman. Eira saw Indigo relax a little, realizing that Eira wouldn’t get so close to someone who was a danger.

  The shop owner gave Eira a once over before taking the offered hand.

  “Hello, I am Nyx.” Appropriate name for a raven.

  “This is Indigo. We’re new to town.”

  “Clearly. As I have not met you before. Are you moving here?” Nyx asked them. Eira wasn’t getting any uncomfortable vibes from the woman, so she decided to be blunt and honest. Those were two of her best qualities. Depending on the perspective.

  “Yes. We are looking for a clan for Indigo.” The raven was momentarily surprised by Eira’s candor but recovered quickly.

  “I see. Well, I suggest starting at the diner. Most everyone goes through there, at least once a week. You can find the alpha’s from all different groups there. You said clan, but I suspect that wasn’t an accident.” There was no real question there but it was implied. Eira wasn’t going to start telling everyone in town their business, so she decided for diplomacy, which was something that was always surprising when she pulled it off.

  “We aren’t sure what groups there are here. Are there always wolves with wolves, birds with birds, lions with lions, and so on?” Eira asked.

  “No, not always. The birds are all in one clan with a few exceptions. Many others are grouped together as shifters, not as species.” Nyx explained.

  “Will Eira be welcome here?” Indi spoke up. Nyx regarded her curiously.

  “By some, perhaps. I get the feeling she isn’t your average human.” Nyx was being honest and Eira was glad she wouldn’t have to fight everyone in her presence.

  Eira and Indi could tell that Nyx wanted to ask questions about Indigo, like what kind of shifter she was, but she didn’t. The raven took the money for their purchases and wished them well, and to stop by if they needed anything.

  “Well that was interesting,” Indi said as they walked down the street, away from the shop. “At least there are options. I really would prefer not to be around just birds all the time.”

  “It’s not like you wouldn’t see other shifters, but I get your point. Birds are sometimes odd. I suppose I would prefer a mix of shifters myself, if I were in a clan.” Eira acknowledged.

  “Ooo, candy shop!” Indi suddenly exclaimed and dragged Eira across the street to the shop. Indi had one big weakness, candy. She loved almost every kind. She even liked black licorice. Who in their right mind likes black licorice? Eira always wondered.

  When they walked in there was a group of teenagers going through and stock piling. Indi was off in her own little candy-induced nirvana. So Eira took a moment to look out the shop window and study the town. Eira could admit to herself that it was beautiful and perfect. In any dream she ever had, she would live in a town like this. It had a quaint town center with all of these cute little shops, and a community that looked after each other. All she could hope for. Eira hoped she could find a place here, too.

  As Eira was turning to look back into the shop she saw a young woman walk into an alley across the street. Not odd in any way. However, the group of teenagers following her did not give Eira a warm, fuzzy feeling.

  “Be right back!” Eira called out over her shoulder, to Indi, as she pushed through the shop door and jogged over to the alley.

  Eira knew she wouldn’t have the benefit of surprise. The slight breeze would carry her scent right to the group of shifters. But at this point it didn’t matter. Eira wasn’t going to stand by and watch while someone was potentially ganged up on.

  Eira stopped when she could see the group surrounding the young woman. Her scent hadn’t reached them yet, and Eira studied the situation. The group started taunting the young woman.

  “Out all alone today, Lena?” one sneered.

  “Didn’t think daddy would let his precious princess out on her own,” another one added.

  “Especially, without protection,” said another one. Eira knew he was the leader in all this and could cause some real damage.

  “I go where I please. I may be a princess, but I don’t need protection,” the girl insisted calmly. She wasn’t afraid, from what Eira could tell. Then Eira got a good look at the girl. Her observation was confirmed when the leader spoke again.

  “You can’t even shift, princess.”

  “I don’t need to shift to protect myself. You should leave before you get hurt,” insisted the girl.

  At that moment Eira’s scent hit the group, and they turned as one to look at her. They narrowed their eyes at Eira, and she just stood there. They had no way of knowing that she knew what they were, so she used it to her advantage.

  “You kids should go home and leave that poor girl alone.” Eira tried to inject as much ignorant human adult tone into her statement as she could.

  It worked in her favor. If there was one thing every shifter taught their children, it was to never reveal themselves to humans. The group backed away from the lone girl and dispersed, glaring at the girl and Eira as they went. After they were all gone, Eira looked at the girl.

  “That was pretty good. Pretend to be an innocent human.” Somehow, Eira wasn’t surprised that the girl h
adn’t been fooled.

  Eira could usually tell when someone had extra gifts, and this girl definitely qualified. Eira shrugged her shoulders.

  “So unsporting to gang up on people.” Eira saw a little of the predator she shared her soul and body with, as the girl smiled in return.

  “You’re new,” the girl observed, and Eira smiled back.

  “I am. I’m Eira. This is Indigo,” Eira said, pointing behind her. Eira could feel Indi’s presence.

  “Hello,” Indi said, walking up to stand next to Eira. Lena cocked her head to the side and regarded Indi.

  “Hmm,” was all the girl said. “I’m Lena. Are you looking for a clan?”

  “We are,” Eira confirmed.

  “Good. Follow me home. My dad is an alpha of a clan. He takes in any kind of shifter, so that won’t be an issue.” Then Lena looked Eira up and down. “I doubt it is a new issue for you, but there will be some attitude toward a human. Even if you have special abilities. But the only opinion that matters is mine. You want to take the chance?”

  Eira just smiled at the girl’s no-nonsense attitude. “Indi?” she asked her friend.

  “Can’t hurt,” Indi observed.