The Lion's Share (The Lion Princes Book 2)

by Leslie Chase

  Praetor just laughed. "I'll let them go when I'm done here, Mattias. But first they get to see you die."

  "They don't need to see that," Mattias said, taking a slow step forward. "No need to be cruel, is there?"

  "Sophie should have thought of that before she rejected me for you," Praetor spat. The rage in his voice eclipsed everything else for an instant. "Now I'm going to show her that she backed the loser."

  Sophie whimpered, feeling his hand twist on her shoulder again. Her right arm burned with pain as he dug his fingers into her nerves. But he couldn't hold her, the grenade, and a gun to kill Mattias with.

  "Goodbye, Your Highness. I hope your brother is less of a problem than you are," Praetor said, letting go of her to draw his sidearm. Mattias stood, eyes locked on hers, full of a sad goodbye.

  No! I'm not ready for that. She wouldn't ever be ready to watch her beloved die. As she heard Praetor's gun clear it's holster she turned and grabbed for him.

  She ignored his gun hand — a bullet might kill her, but if the grenade went off it certainly would. Grabbing hold of his left hand she held on for dear life, both her hands wrapped around his and praying that she could hold tight enough.

  "Let go," Praetor shouted, smacking her in the side of the head with his pistol. She yelped, the world spinning around her and a coppery taste filling her mouth. But she held on. And then Mattias was there beside her, roaring with rage. His hand lashed out in a sharp chop that sent Praetor's pistol flying, and he followed it with a punch to the face that rocked the Captain backward. The crunch of his nose breaking made Sophie shudder, and she focused on keeping her grip tight.

  Praetor wasn't going to go down without a fight. Lashing out with a kick, he staggered Mattias, and that bought him enough time to swing Sophie between them. If he thought that he could hide behind her, though, he was wrong. Mattias growled and swung a right hook past her, and with her weighing down Praetor's left arm he couldn't block. The impact staggered Praetor, and he stumbled back into the wall.

  Sophie felt his muscles loosen in her grip, and she ducked to the side. Mattias stepped into the space she'd given up, hammering punches into the man, ignoring the return blows that Praetor managed to launch. Mattias's face was a rictus of rage and pain, and his fists drove into his enemy with brutal precision.

  "I don't need to be a lion to take on the likes of you," he said, stepping backward as Praetor slumped to the ground. Sophie stepped away with a shiver, not looking at the mess that her man had made of him. Praetor deserved every punch, every wound, and he was too dangerous to live — but she didn't have to see the results.

  "I think that's enough," her mother said quietly, putting a hand on Mattias's back. "He's done, and it's over."

  Mattias took a moment to process that and then relaxed, slumping against the wall. Sophie gasped in alarm, fighting the urge to grab for him — her grip on Praetor's hand was the only thing keeping the grenade from exploding.

  But she had to go to her man. She needed to be with him, to help him. She could see his injuries, and the way he struggled to stay upright even with the wall for support. Torn between two irresistible urges, she couldn't decide what to do.

  "Looking for this?" her father said shakily. In his hand, the pin of the grenade gleamed. "I watched where it fell. Details, Sophie, so important in our line of work."

  His face was gray, and he winced as he moved, but the twinkle in his eyes made her laugh. It was only then that she really understood that they were going to live.

  "Can you put the pin back in one of these?" she asked, carefully holding up the grenade. Her father nodded.

  "As long as the lever's still down, yes. Carefully."

  Seconds later the grenade was safe and in his hands. And Sophie leaped to her prince's side.

  "You saved us," she said, throwing her arms around him only to pull back as he winced. But he pulled her back against him, despite the pain on his face.

  "Don't you pull away," he said, taking a deep breath and smiling. "This is worth any pain."

  Slowly and carefully, Mattias led the family out of the basement and into the ruins of their farmhouse. Bullet holes scarred the walls, blood was everywhere, and the three of them looked carefully away from the bodies. But none of that mattered. They were alive, and they'd won. If Praetor had left anyone outside, they'd gone — there was nothing to fight for, now that their leader was dead.

  Sophie helped him down onto the grass outside the front door, and he sighed, lying back and looking at the stars overhead.

  "It's a beautiful night," he said.

  "You've been shot," Sophie reminded him. "And you've lost a lot of blood. That's not beautiful."

  He looked up at her, smiling despite the pain. The worry in her eyes was real, but she was alive to worry about him. That's what he had been fighting for, and that's the victory that he'd won. He'd take it, even if it did annoy her. The stars above twinkled.

  "As long as you're okay, Sophie, I don't mind what happens to me."

  "Don't be so dramatic," Sophie's mother said with a sigh. "We're all okay, and Praetor's goons have first aid kits. Let's have a look at you, Prince Mattias."

  He picked his head up as Sophie and her mother started to tend to his wounds.

  "I'm sorry about the house," he said with a wry smile, and got a laugh.

  "I never liked the place," Sophie's mother said, bandaging the gash a bullet had carved in his arm. "It'll give us a chance to redecorate or rebuild."

  "Unless we move back to the capital," her father put in. "We're going to need to keep an eye on you, I think, if you're going to be part of the family."

  Mattias raised his head to look at the man. "I thought you didn't want your daughter to stay in the city?"

  "Firstly, Your Highness, I'm not one to believe in fighting against fate," he said. "Secondly, I can see how my daughter looks at you, and I don't think that I, or anyone else, could keep her away from you. And thirdly, after this mess, it wouldn't do anyone any good to pretend that you two don't care for each other. She'd be a target for your enemies anyway."

  Mattias growled, the anger of his lion burning hot again. "I don't intend to have any enemies that might hurt her, sir. Not for long."

  "Keep still, Your Highness, or you won't be in any condition to look after anyone," Sophie's mother said as she and Sophie pushed him back down onto the grass, holding him still as they tended his wounds. Mattias laughed, shaking his head.

  "I'd better do as I'm told, huh?" he said, wincing as they cleaned the wounds out. One disadvantage of healing quickly was that he wasn't used to the pain of an injury that needed to be tended.

  "I've found that the best policy, yes," Sophie's father said with a grin and headed for one of the Security Squad's cars, whistling.

  Bandaging his wounds didn't take long, and then they huddled into the car. No one needed to say anything — none of them wanted to stay in the bloodied farmhouse, and now that Praetor's attack was over, nothing was keeping them there. Mattias sat back, resting in Sophie's arms as her father drove them into Gerrenbad.

  The drive back into the capital would take far too long, but there was a small hotel in the town and Mr. Havener booked them there. It would do until the morning, and then they could make their way back.

  Mattias got a few funny looks as he made his way through the lobby, still naked apart from the bandages, but he ignored them. After the evening he'd had, a little embarrassment was nothing.

  "We're going to need to get you some clothes first thing tomorrow," Sophie whispered, apparently not quite as immune to the stares as he was. Mattias laughed and nodded.

  "It wouldn't do for me to be recognized like this, I suppose," he agreed. As she opened the door to their room, he swept her off her feet and carried her inside.

  "Matt! You shouldn't—" she started to protest, but he silenced her with a kiss.

  "I don't intend to miss another chance to kiss you, Sophie," he said when their lips finally parted. "We've m
issed too much for too long already."

  He'd almost lost her that evening, and that had driven home what really mattered to him. Mattias wasn't going to waste another opportunity to be with Sophie, or to show her how much she meant to him. And he wasn't going to let a few injuries stop him, either. They were together now, mates forever, and that was all that mattered.

  The rest of the world and its problems could wait.

  Epilogue

  The Well of Fate lay beneath Lionhead Castle, dark and cold with water rushing past the hole in the floor. Sophie looked over the edge, feeling the weight of history pressing down on her. Every king and queen in the history of Leotania had stood here, had sought the blessing of fate before they'd taken the throne.

  And now she and Mattias were standing at the brink of the well. If the Well chose them, he'd be King, and if not... she wasn't sure what would happen then. Everything was up in the air now, the rest of their lives waiting for this moment. It had taken a week to get them here, a week of him recovering from his wounds and dealing with the chaos that Praetor's attempted coup had left in its wake. Now they'd finally have an answer.

  Mattias stepped up beside her and took her hand, raising it to his lips. "Are you ready, my love?"

  "Definitely," she replied, smiling at him. "I want to know."

  Her heart pounded in her chest and, together, they held their hands out over the Well. A few drops of their blood mixed with the rushing water beneath them would answer their question for them.

  Around them, carved stone lions watched as Mattias focused and extended a single claw on his right hand. Sophie winced as he drew the sharp claw across their two palms, and the trickle of their mixed blood dripped into the darkness.

  Their offering was answered by a deep and terrible groaning, and a complete certainty filled her heart. Mattias wasn't the King, and she wasn't the Queen. Expelling a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, she turned to Mattias wondering how he was taking it.

  He smiled back to her. "That's that settled then," he said, his voice hard to read.

  "Are you alright?" Sophie slid her arms around him, hugging him tight. It must be hard, she thought, to have the crown ripped away from you like that.

  He laughed. "It's not that, Sophie. It's just — we went through so much to get to this point, and as it turns out it doesn't matter. Praetor's plan wouldn't have worked anyway, because I'm not going to be king."

  "He'd just have tried it on Prince Gabriel as well," she pointed out. "And it wasn't as though the only bad thing about him was his plan. But we don't need to worry about him now."

  "You're right," Mattias said, holding her close. "He can't hurt you ever again. We're free."

  Sophie relaxed into his embrace, smiling. "So what will you do now? Or are you planning on being my kept man?"

  His laugh filled the room, echoing in the Well below them. "Hardly! Someone's going to need to pick up the pieces of the Royal Security Service after this mess, and it seems like there aren't many people left who my family can trust. So I'll take over there, and make sure things are safe and secure for us all. And that'll let me keep an eye on you and keep you safe, too. I want to keep the two of us safe."

  "Three," she said. Mattias looked at her with surprise that gave way to a wide smile as she put her hands over her stomach and nodded.

  "You're sure?" he asked, voice full of wonder. She nodded again, certain. Laughing, her prince lifted her up, holding her to him in a kiss. Without putting her down, he strode away from the Well and into the castle where they'd make their future.

  Sophie sighed happily, her arms around his neck. Their future was still uncertain, but the only thing that mattered was that they had one together — and that, no one could take away from them.

  The End

  Thank you for reading The Lion’s Share. Let me know what you thought about it - I love to see reviews from my readers.

  Look out for The Lion’s Throne, the third and final part of the Lion Princes. Coming soon!

  If you would like to hear more about my future projects, sign up for my mailing list!

  About the Author

  LESLIE CHASE

  I love writing, and especially enjoy writing sexy paranormal romance. It lets my imagination run free and my ideas come to life! When I’m not writing, I’m busy thinking about what to write next or researching it – yes, damn it, looking at castles and swords counts as research.

  If you enjoy my books, please let me know with a review. Reviews are really important and I appreciate every one. If you’d like to be kept up to date on my new releases, you can sign up for my email newsletter by following this link.

  My website can be found at here

  Follow me on Twitter

  My Facebook page is here

  Email me at leslie@leslie-chase.com

  My books:

  Guardian Bears

  Ex-military bear shifters providing protection from the threats no one else can deal with. Each book is a stand-alone plot, as the sexy bears find their curvy mates.

  Guardian Bears: Marcus

  Guardian Bears: Lucas

  Guardian Bears: Karl

  Tiger’s Sword

  A four-part paranormal romance serial about Maxwell Walters, billionaire tiger shifter, and his curvy mate Lenore.

  Penelope Walters, who you might recognize from this book, guest stars in this series.

  Box Set, collecting all four parts

  Book One: Tiger’s Hunt

  Book Two: Tiger’s Den

  Book Three: Tiger’s Claws

  Book Four: Tiger’s Heart

  Also by Leslie Chase

  Guardian Bears: Marcus

  Fate has brought them together again … but can they survive it?

  An unexpected reunion …

  Lisa Kyle runs the general store in Coldwood. She’s stayed in town to take care of her mother; the only man she ever loved left years ago. But now he’s back -- and mixed up with a notorious criminal organization, the Serpent motorcycle club.

  Her shock doesn’t change the electric heat between them. The boy she loved is now a dark-haired tower of a man, and his intense blue eyes are irresistible. Lisa knows she should stay away … but she can’t.

  A dangerous longing ...

  Growing up with no parents, Marcus Harrow didn’t understand his bear shifter identity. Now he does -- and he also knows that blonde, curvy Lisa is his fated mate. But that only makes things more difficult.

  He can’t tell her that he runs the Guardian Bears agency with two of his ex-Special Forces bear shifter friends ... or that he’s gone undercover to infiltrate the Serpent MC gang and put a stop to their use of dark forces.

  The only way to keep her safe is to keep his distance. But how can he do that when both man and bear want to claim her forever?

  A deadly deception

  When the gang grows suspicious of Marcus, Lisa and her mother are in the crosshairs. Can he rescue them without blowing his cover? And if he succeeds, will Lisa accept both sides of his nature, or will his deeper identity drive them apart?

  ***Guardian Bears: Marcus is a steamy standalone novel with a HEA and no cheating.***

  Guardian Bears: Marcus

  Guardian Bears: Lucas

  Fate brought her to him … now it’s put her in the crosshairs.

  His job is to guard her … not claim her.

  Bear shifter Lucas Barns, one of the partners in the Guardian Bears Agency, is frustrated that the woman he’s protecting won’t tell him what she’s running from. What did Emily Shaw witness?

  Even worse than her keeping him in the dark is the fact that the curvy blonde is his fated mate. Getting involved with a client would be completely unprofessional … but that doesn’t stop both man and bear from roaring to make her their own.

  He’s her only safety … and her greatest temptation.

  Emily can’t tell Lucas what she saw -- he’ll think she’s crazy. But she’s determined to stay alive, and she
trusts him to protect her while she figures out what to do.

  Her ex-Special Forces bodyguard is a giant of a man, often angry and clearly dangerous. He should terrify her. Instead, she wants to wrap herself around his muscled heat and never let go.

  Now time is running out for both of them ...

  When Emily is attacked, both she and Lucas must reveal their secrets. After a deal to ensure her safety ends in a double-cross, Lucas needs all his strength and skill to keep his mate safe.

  Can rescue Emily in time? Or will Lucas and the woman who’s become his heartbeat lose their chance at a lifetime together?

  ***Guardian Bears: Lucas is a steamy standalone, full-length bear shifter romance with a HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhangers.***

  Guardian Bears: Lucas

  Guardian Bears: Karl

  She’s destined to be his … but is he destined to destroy her?

  A dangerous hunt ...

  Polar bear shifter Karl Werner is on the trail of a “werewolf” -- a wolf shifter who’s lost control of their animal. Since shifters who reach that point can’t be rehabilitated, his grim task is to execute whoever it is before they can expose shifters’ existence to the wider world.

  The job takes him to Mayfair, a town on the edge of the desert. The climate makes his bear miserable … but when he finds his fated mate, it generates a whole different kind of heat. If only the curvy, green-eyed brunette weren’t so standoffish.

  A terrifying suspicion ...

  Allison Lewis has never responded to a man the way she does to Karl. The ex-Special Forces man is huge and muscled and fills her with longing -- but the reason why he’s come to Mayfair chills her to the bone.