Page 4 of Lion's Crossing

“FFF, huh? That’s a B-side track. You a fan?” I meant it as a joke, not expecting Knox to freeze the way he did. His sweet scent disappeared, and I could smell his fear. I touched his arm, trying to calm him. “It’s okay if you were. Are. But it’s a different kind of fan who prefers the B-sides over the title tracks.”

He gulped, sinking into himself. “I mean, I like your music, but I didn’t even know all your names. Just the songs.”

“That means a lot, Knox.” I used his name, hoping he would turn toward me, and he did. “Really. We put a lot of work into writing and producing those songs, so it’s nice when people appreciate that and not just our polished-for-the-spotlight looks.”

He blushed. “Well, I mean…”

I felt my own cheeks warm and decided to change the topic of conversation. “So, what brings you to Saramto? Do you have family there?” I hoped so, since the metropolis was a far different place for omegas than Shifter Crossing.

“No, I’m just on vacation.” He pulled his bag to his lap and held it tight to his chest. “I needed to get away from my custodian job at the high school, and my parents who keep trying to set me up with alphas I don’t want anything to do with.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “My parents keep asking when I’m going to settle down, too, but I’m simply too busy to worry about a mate.”

He loosened his grip on his bag. “Right? Their generation seems to think our only purpose in life is to find a mate and have kids. Mine don’t even care for me to find my fated alpha, or even one who treats me properly, as long as his parents are nice.”

“You shouldn’t have to be with someone like that.” Oh, if Knox were my fated omega, I would definitely treat him properly, and he already said he liked my parents, so that was another plus. I sucked in a quick breath. Why was I even thinking about fated mates?

“Exactly. I’m glad you understand.” His vanilla and raspberry aroma wafted in front of me. While my lion purred deep within me, I glanced around to make sure no other alpha caught his scent.

“But you need to be careful in Saramto. There are a lot of alphas who will try to take advantage of you because you’re not from the metropolis.” Especially if he made it obvious by glancing around in awe and taking lots of pictures.

“I know.” He sighed. “As I told my parents, I have an itinerary. I know exactly where I’m going, the safest route to get there, and I won’t be out of my hotel room after dark.”

“They just want you to be safe.” I did, too, and I barely knew him. I contemplated giving him my number just in case something happened while he was on vacation. Then common sense kicked in. “But I’m sure you’ll have fun. There’s so much more to do and see in the city. I know I was a little overwhelmed when I first moved there.” I did have escorts everywhere I went, even when out for a late-night snack, but I held in that information. I wanted him to be cautious, not terrified.

Chapter Five

Knox

The next hour passed by faster than any of the previous ones since I’d boarded the train. Linc and I continued to talk while surrounded by passengers who grew increasingly impatient. I felt the tension around me, but Linc made me feel safe. Even though we were strangers when we boarded, his presence as an alpha from the same hometown as me, eased my worry about being stuck on the train.

“The hi-rail is here,” someone shouted from the other end of the coach. “They’re finally going to fix it.”

“It’s about time.” I glanced at the time on my phone. “It’s already check-in time at my hotel.”

Linc lowered his phone. “Oh, what hotel are you staying at? I should have asked earlier.”

“The Vista.” I chewed on my bottom lip, sure he had stayed at much nicer hotels around the world. “It seemed nice enough for what I could afford.”

Linc sat up, turning toward me. “Oh, the one right next to Natural History of Shifters Museum. And Claude’s Diner is right across the street. Both are places that need to be on your itinerary if they aren’t already.”

“The museum is.” I opened the notes app on my phone. “But not the diner. I’ll have to add that.”

“Claude’s is so good.” He tapped his fingers on his thigh. “And it’s not expensive and posh like some of the other places in the city. Great food with big portions, and very affordable.”

“Thank you.” These tips from Linc made me wish I’d had someone from Saramto to talk to about where to visit when I’d planned the trip. Locals always knew the best places to visit that weren’t on the travel websites.

He rubbed his belly. “All this talk of food is making me hungry.”

“We’re all hungry!” an alpha shouted whose scent wafted from the row behind us.

“Carts!” another passenger shouted. “They’re bringing out carts! It’s about time!”

“Yeah, we’ve been stuck here for hours. The least they could have done was give us food and something to drink!”

Voices echoed the sentiment as a new attendant pushed his loaded cart up the aisle. With the promise of water and food, the cloud of tension in the coach seemed to decrease a bit, as did the overall temperature inside.

Conversation between Linc and I dwindled as we waited for the cart to pass by. “Want anything to eat?” he asked.

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