Page 14 of Mated to the Pride

Were wesomethingnow? It felt like it, but we’d made no promises. He hadn’t even mentioned the other guys, but the thought of them now made me guilty. That was foolish, wasn’t it? As though any of them would want me anyway. The fact that Preston did was incredible enough. I couldn’t cause any fights.

Still, it felt like a bad idea to tell them — even Stone, who I had been friendliest with. If Preston told them about it, then I wouldn’t mind, but I already resolved to keep my part in this to myself.

Where it led from here, I couldn’t possibly say. I just knew that the way he looked at me was exciting, and that my heart skipped a beat at the thought of finding another opportunity for him to touch me again.

Blake

Isee she’s in your thoughts a lot.

Ah, shut up.Sir.

I tossed my head as we ran, letting out a growling ripple of laughter from my lion’s throat. Stone only called meSiron a couple of rare occasions — and embarrassment was one of them. Clearly, accidentally transmitting Jessica’s face to me as we communicated had him feeling a little awkward, but he didn’t have to.

Not least because if I didn’t have good self-control, I’d be doing the exact same thing to him.

We might have to cut this short if we catch sight of anything, but… would it surprise you to hear that she’s caught my eye too?

She has?

I heard the thunder of Stone’s paws pick up behind me, and slowed so that he could pull alongside. I had never been good at reading people, either in this form or in our human ones, but Stone had a knack for it. Whatever he saw in my dark lion’s eyes, it must have convinced him that I wasn’t joking.

Ever since we’d come here with Jessica, I’d suspected that something unusual was going on. I could feel my own pulse rising around her, and that hormonal shift. She was beautiful, of course, and the light behind her eyes gave her an air of easy confidence and happiness. When I looked at her, I saw a healthy, responsible and charming woman that spoke to every part of me — my lion included.

If the others were thinking the same thing… well. She might just be a myth come to life. Normally I’d dismiss the very idea of the one true mate, as I had done for years, but it wasn’t so easy to do that with Jess. The very sight of her made me believe in the possibility. If anybody could be that special person — for anyone, but our pride in particular — it’d be her.

Really, though?Stone pressed again.I don’t want to cause a problem with us.

It’s not a problem, I said. I hadn’t realized how true this was until this very moment. The weight of the fact came to rest on my back slowly, and I slowed to walk beside Stone, paws deliberate and heavy on the ground. This was a good thing, and the way I could feel my lion’s heart throbbing in my chest only emphasized that — but it was pretty seismic.

Stone turned his head to face me, his dark eyes meeting mine.Are you sure, Blake? You know I’d never—

I think she may be our One Mate.

We both stopped. Stone’s eyes rooted on mine, a flash of human depth in his expression. If he were with anybody else, he might have expected this to be a joke, but I wasn’t really the joking kind. Not about things like this. I saw the realization wash over him, as it had just washed over me a couple of seconds ago.

He shifted, and I saw the same look of bemusement and confusion on his human form’s face. I shifted to join him, sitting down on the warm dusty ground.

“If that’s true, then…” Stone trailed off, shaking his head down at the ground. “I can’t believe it. I was never even convinced they existed. I’m not sure I’m convinced even now.”

“I’m not jealous of your attraction to her,” I reasoned. “Or the thought of her being attracted to you. Considering how long we’ve known her and how little time we’ve spent together, I’d say it’s unusual to be so attracted to her.”

“I guess so.” Stone ruffled a hand through his hair, eyes unfocused. “Have you spoken to the others about it?”

“Not yet,” I admitted. “It only crossed my mind in passing before, but I’ve seen them looking at her too and suspected it. Feeling her cross your mind so much with nothing else to distract me just… provided me with the evidence I needed.”

“Wow.”

We sat in silence for a few moments, feeling the wind lift around us. If our lion noses hadn’t been clear of the scent of humans around us, then it probably wouldn’t be safe to do this — but with the area around us so desolate and empty, and with shrubs and trees surrounding us for cover, it was a harmless spot to recover from this emotional earthquake.

“She’s going to need to know,” said Stone, after a few moments. “Everything.”

I nodded, staring off into the distance. “We’ll talk about it. All four of us.”

“It’s going to scare the shit out of her.” His brow was furrowed with concern.

“No,” I said, rolling my shoulders back and preparing to shift again. “No, it shouldn’t. Not if she’s the One.”

Stone

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