by Zoe Chant
Natalie swallowed, her throat tight.
“But… if you’re not a lion, how did you become part of the pride?” she asked.
Charity smiled. “I might not be a shifter, but I am Mason’s mate. And that means I’m part of the pride.”
Natalie blinked. “His mate?”
“That’s exactly what it sounds like,” Charity said. “I won’t go into too much detail – just think of him as my husband.”
“But it’s more than that,” Casey suddenly broke in. “A mate is… a mate is for life. A mate is an instant connection you’ve never felt with anyone else before. It’s knowing you’d do anything to protect them. And… and you know from the first moment you touch that – that you –”
Natalie looked up to find him staring at her again, his gold-flecked eyes gazing intently into hers. She felt her stomach suddenly flood with warmth as she looked at him, as if a bolt of pure electricity was passing between them, and her mouth went dry.
An instant connection.
You know from the moment you touch.
Casey’s words replayed in her mind, and her mouth dropped open.
Is he saying… does he think that I’m…?
Flustered, Natalie looked over at Charity, feeling herself blush.
Charity was looking from her to Casey and back again, a knowing smile slowly creeping across her face.
“Well,” she eventually said. “It seems you two might have some things to talk about.”
Natalie turned, thunderstruck, to look at Casey again. He had dropped his eyes, but Natalie could see he was almost vibrating with tension. It seemed to sheet off his body – and onto hers. She felt electrified.
It can’t be true.
But she couldn’t deny the connection between them – the way she’d felt drawn to him from the moment their hands had touched. She had never been more attracted to anyone before in her life. But it was more than that.
She didn’t feel she could put it into words, but she knew that it was true.
“Casey?” she asked, hearing her voice tremble.
“I wondered if you felt it too,” he said, voice quiet. “I wasn’t sure how to ask.”
There was a long silence, broken only by the sound of Faith and Micah playing in the corner.
“I feel like you two could use a moment to talk about this,” Charity said. “With your permission, Natalie, I could take the kids out for ice cream?”
Natalie blinked, looking over at her. “I… yes. Yes. I think I… might need a moment.”
Charity nodded, smiling. “I know – it all seems very strange now. But believe me – it’s worth it. Every minute. And now, I’ll leave you two be.” She walked across the room to collect Micah and Faith. “All right guys! Who wants ice cream?”
“Meeeee!”
Natalie watched as both Faith and Micah bounded up in unison. Once again, she was amazed at how happy Micah seemed, and how quickly he had made friends with Faith. She recalled their conversation the day before they left, about how much trouble he was having making friends at his new school, and how downhearted and discouraged he’d seemed.
Watching him now, his eyes shining, a huge smile on his face, it was almost as if she was looking at a different boy altogether.
He could grow up here. He could play in the garden and explore the ranch.
“You be good for Charity, now,” she said, leaning down to give him a kiss on the forehead. “And don’t eat too much ice cream. You’ll spoil your lunch.”
“I won’t,” Micah promised, throwing his arms around her neck.
Natalie pulled him into a tight hug, before letting him go. Charity took Micah’s hand and, with a smile, she led both children out to the front door.
Natalie turned to see Casey still standing where he had been, his eyes fixed on her. She took a deep breath.
“It sounds like I have a lot to learn about… well, you,” she said.
Casey nodded. “I’ll do my best to explain. But I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting this. I feel like I’m flying blind.”
Natalie had to laugh at that. “Well, that makes two of us!”
Casey joined in her laughter, a little sheepishly. “I really did mean what I said. I wanted to find a way to tell you that wouldn’t frighten you. But I suppose this way, at least, there’s no chance you’d think I was just plain crazy.”
Natalie shook her head. “No.” Pausing, she bit her lip. “But I suppose there’s always a chance that I’m crazy, and just hallucinating all this.”
“No,” Casey said quickly. “I promise you, this is all real.”
“But that’s just what a tall, handsome hallucination would say,” Natalie replied, and she was only half-joking.
Casey blinked, and then took a step toward her, reaching out to take her hand. Once again, Natalie was shocked by the warmth that flowed between them; the electricity that seemed to flow between his skin and hers.
“What can I do to prove it to you?” he asked.
Natalie took a deep breath. “You could… shift. You could show me that this is real.”
Casey looked into her eyes searchingly for a long moment, and then he nodded.
“Of course. But… maybe not out here in the common room. I don’t think we have any guests scheduled to arrive today, but… well, you never know. And Faye will kill me if I mess up her perfect five star rating.”
Natalie laughed as he led her down the corridor to the private staff-only rooms at the back of the house. “I don’t know – a real live lion in the lounge. It’d be a unique feature.”
Casey glanced over his shoulder, grinning at her. “I guess that’s one way of putting it.” He opened the door to one of the small staff rooms, and led her inside. “This will just have to do, I guess.”
“This room seems a little small,” Natalie said. “Can’t we just go outside?”
“We could,” Casey said slowly. “But… well, the thing is, when you shift… your clothes tend not to stay in one piece. There’s kind of a potential for embarrassment there.”
“Oh,” Natalie said, feeling her cheeks reddening. “I didn’t think about that. But I guess that makes sense.” She paused. “You… uh, you want me to turn around?”
Casey cleared his throat. “Only if you want to.”
Natalie hesitated, caught between two conflicting impulses. On the one hand, she’d have to be crazy not to want to see Casey’s obviously amazing body without those annoying clothes all over it. But on the other, she didn’t want him to think she’d only asked him to shift so she could check out his… assets.
“I… I might,” she said, finally deciding that seeming overly modest might be the safer choice. She chanced a joke. “I don’t know if I could handle it. I’ll just burn up.”
Casey laughed softly. “Well, I don’t want that.”
Natalie smiled, then resolutely turned her back to him.
And immediately wondered if she really had gone crazy.
From behind her, she could hear the sounds of Casey getting undressed – the sound of buttons being undone, the slither of fabric against skin – and she had to curl her hands into fists to hold herself in place. Warmth filled her belly, winding its way down between her legs.
Her imagination went into overdrive: picturing every ridge and groove of his muscles, every dip and curve of his body. Why had she said she wouldn’t look, again?
She bit her lip as she heard the sound of a zipper being undone, and jeans shucked down thighs. It took every bit of willpower she had not to turn and fling herself on him right there and then.
“I’m going to shift now,” Casey said. “Turn around.”
Natalie expected she’d hear some kind of magical shimmering sound, but there was nothing of the kind. There was a small thump, like the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.
And when she turned around, Casey had gone.
In his place was a huge, magnificent, golden lion.
Natalie gasped, raising her
hands to her lips, eyes going wide.
It’s true. It’s all true.
She wasn’t sure why seeing Casey in his lion form made it all seem more real – after all, she’d seen Faith turn into a little lion cub right in front of her eyes. But somehow, seeing him here, with his huge dark mane and golden eyes, she realized that she wasn’t crazy at all.
This was really happening.
Reaching out as if in a daze, Natalie brushed her fingers tentatively over Casey’s large, warm shoulder. She was rewarded immediately with the sound of a booming purr emanating from his chest, his golden eyes half-closing in appreciation. Despite the fact they looked quite different now, Natalie could still somehow see Casey in them. She had always imagined she’d be utterly terrified if faced with the king of the jungle, but there was nothing frightening about him.
Instead, Natalie felt almost comforted by his huge size and obvious strength.
She remembered what Charity had said earlier: If you’re part of the pride, you’ll always be protected and supported.
Is that what she would be, if she really was Casey’s mate? A part of the pride? Someone who would always be protected and supported?
And by a lion?
Casey’s lion form seemed to fill the room, powerful and strong. In that moment, Natalie had never felt safer in her entire life.
“All right,” she murmured, her fingers still stroking over the hard muscle of his shoulder. “All right. I believe you. You can turn back now.”
It happened so quickly that Natalie barely had time to take it in. Where a moment ago there had been a massive lion standing in front of her, now there was Casey’s tall, muscular human form once again. The golden fur became skin, the mane disappearing back into his neck and shoulders. The yellow eyes once again became the flecked chocolate brown that had first caught her attention when she’d stepped off the bus.
And then her eyes drifted southward, taking in the flat, broad plain of his chest, the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles, the sharp, defined V of his hipbones, and…
“Oh,” Casey said, covering himself with his hands. “Oh God, sorry, I didn’t think. I was just so… I mean, I was so happy when you said you believed me – shifters are just kind of laid back about this, so I didn’t –”
Natalie couldn’t help but laugh as the red blush spread across his tanned cheeks, and his utterly mortified expression. “No, it’s okay,” she said. “Really. In fact… it’s kind of nice.” She smiled shyly at him, raising her hand to touch his shoulder. “More than nice.”
Casey blinked at her, looking a little like a deer in the headlights.
She licked her lips, and watched as his eyes darted down to follow the movement.
Natalie stared at him, her mouth dry. Then Casey reached out a hand to take hers, his fingers and palm enveloping hers completely.
“Natalie –” he started to say, but that was as far as he got.
She wasn’t sure which one of them moved first – only that their lips met with a warmth and fierceness that took her breath away. Casey’s hand cupped her jaw, the other sliding up her arm and over her shoulder. She shuddered at his touch, feeling heat building within her.
She had never been kissed like this before – not with such passion and warmth and longing. And she knew she had never wanted anyone more than she had wanted him.
Their kisses became hungrier, and she pressed herself against him, the hardness of his pectoral muscles solid against the softness of her breasts. She wanted to feel him against her, feel his skin against hers, and her hands went to the bottom of the shirt she was wearing, tugging it up and over her head, as their lips broke apart.
She was wearing only a plain cotton bra – the thought that anyone else might see it hadn’t even entered her head. She might have felt a little embarrassed, but the way Casey looked at her quickly dispelled any idea that he might have been disappointed by what he saw.
“You’re beautiful,” he breathed, his fingers tracing their way lightly up her sides. “Perfect.”
Natalie swallowed, looking down shyly at herself. Perfect wasn’t a word she had ever thought about herself, or her body. She had never been the tall, skinny ideal that was trotted out in magazines – not that she minded her curves herself. But then there was the fact that she was… well, older than Casey. And it showed on her body – she wasn’t quite as pert and bouncy as she had been in her youth.
But if Casey minded, there was no indication of that on his face at all. In fact, he was doing his deer in the headlights impression again, staring down at her as if transfixed.
A small smile curved its way across Natalie’s lips as she reached up to kiss him again, and felt his arms winding around her back, pulling her against him.
She could feel the growing hardness between his legs pushing against her thigh, and, groaning, she rubbed her leg against him, and heard his answering groan. She could feel wetness gathering at her core, her desire mounting within her.
She gasped as his lips left hers, tracing their way down over her cheek, her jaw, before dropping to cover her collarbone in kisses. Then they moved lower still, reaching the soft swell of her breasts.
Natalie threw her head back as his lips and teeth teased the sensitive bud of her nipple through her bra, his hands cupping beneath her breasts.
“Casey,” she gasped, feeling her knees trembling. She clutched the top of his head, drawing him closer. Every move he made, no matter how small, seemed to send a line of pure fire through her veins. Electricity thrilled over her skin, and she moaned, desperate for more.
“Please,” she groaned, barely knowing what she was asking for – only knowing that she wanted more closeness, more touch. More of him.
“Natalie,” he whispered, rising again and kissing her on the lips.
Together, they moved toward the bed, and she sat down, raising her hips quickly as she unbuttoned her jeans and then shoved them down her legs, taking her underpants with them. Casey moved down over her, and she pulled him to her, wrapping her legs around his thighs.
She was so wet now that she thought he must be able to feel it as she pressed against him. Casey was hot and achingly hard against her palm when she slid her hand down between his legs to feel him, and he gasped against her lips, his head thrown back, the sinew of his neck straining against the skin.
“I want you so badly,” she whispered as she worked her hand up and down his hard length. “Casey, please…”
She watched as his Adam’s apple dipped as he swallowed, and then his eyes fluttered open. He looked down at her, clearly trying to collect himself to speak.
“I want you too, Natalie. More than anything. But… you should know. I... well, I haven’t done this before.”
Natalie blinked at him. “You haven’t?”
Casey looked a little abashed. “No.”
Natalie would have been lying if she’d said she wasn’t surprised. She’d just assumed that a guy like Casey would have meandered his way through life with a string of hot girlfriends, and plenty more waiting in the wings. She herself had hardly kept herself ‘pure’ through all the raging hormones of high school, after all.
“I guess… I was just waiting for the right girl,” he said. “I had chances. But… I saw how happy my cousins and my brother were with their mates. And I guess I just wanted that for myself. When I saw how in love they were, nothing else seemed to compare.” He looked at her, swallowing again. “I hope that doesn’t sound too old-fashioned. It’s just something I wanted for me – I realize it isn’t for everyone.”
Natalie licked her lips, before raising her hand to run it through the waves of Casey’s sun-bleached hair. “But… you’re sure now?”
Casey’s answer was immediate. “Yes. I knew it from the moment we touched. You’re my mate, Natalie. The one I’m supposed to be with. Body and soul.”
Natalie looked into his eyes, his words taking her breath away. She’d never considered herself anything special – she was just a single
mother who cleaned other people’s houses for a living, after all. She’d made mistakes. She’d made a huge mistake in trusting Ken. She was doing her best to set things right, but she’d never thought her life would be anything other than what it was. Love, or even companionship, had seemed like a very distant prospect.
But now, she was here, listening to a man – a shifter – like Casey, telling her that she was his mate, that they belonged together…
It seemed almost unbelievable.
And yet, somehow, she did believe it.
Casey wrapped her hand in his, and pressed it to his chest. She could feel his heartbeat against her palm, sure and strong. “I know it might seem hard to get used to – and if you want me to back off, I can. But I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you. No matter what. Even if you want to take things a little slower.”
Natalie gazed up at him a moment longer. And then she threw caution to the wind, and kissed him again. She swept her tongue into his mouth desperately, winding her arms around his shoulders and pulling him to her.
This was her answer. There couldn’t be any other.
Casey moved over her, his hips between her thighs. She felt his hand slide down over the soft roundness of her stomach, before sliding between her legs, pressing against her soaked pussy.
Natalie gasped into his mouth as he touched her, his fingers sending shocks of pleasure all through her body. Her muscles tautened as he slipped a finger inside her. She was so wet, so ready for him that it slid in easily, before being joined by a second.
“Oh God,” she whispered, closing her eyes as he moved them slowly within her, his thumb finding her clit and moving in slow circles. “Are you sure you’ve never done this before? Because you’re… really good at it.”
Casey’s low laugh was tinged with desire, barely more than a low rumble in his throat. It only served to fuel her own hunger for him. She dug her fingers into the muscle of his back, gasping and bucking up against his hand. As much pleasure as he was giving her, she wanted more.
She writhed a little as he withdrew, immediately missing the lost contact, but a thrill of anticipation ran through her as he sat up a little on the bed, positioning himself over her. Natalie couldn’t help but look down between his legs as he knelt before her. His cock was large and thick between his thighs, flushed and swollen with his need for her.