Page 49 of Lucius

While his sweet mate closed her eyes tight and made a silent wish, Lucius rolled to his knees and faced her, opening the box and holding it toward her.

She opened her eyes and looked at him with a smile, and then her eyes went wide when she noticed the ring. Rolling to her knees to face him, she pressed her fingertips to her lips and smiled.

“Sweetheart, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me, even shifting when I was asleep because it meant that my lion was so comfortable with you. I’m sorry you weren’t comfortable when you woke up like that, though.”

She let out a giggle, her eyes dancing.

“I’m crazy about you. From the second I saw you in the park, I knew you were my soulmate, and I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to have you in my life.” He paused as emotion rose inside him. He’d never said what he was about to say to anyone, but he meant the words with every ounce of his being. “I love you, Sidney. Will you marry me?”

She didn’t say anything for a moment. Lucius was holding his breath and even his lion was silent in his head.

She exhaled shakily as she lowered her hands, then said, “Oh, Lucius, I love you too.”

He waited for her to say yes, but she just smiled at him as tears welled in her eyes.

His brows lifted and she went, “Oh! Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”

He exhaled in relief and slipped the ring on her finger and they met with a kiss. The pride cheered and clapped, and Lucius hugged Sidney, his lion purring loudly.

“I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life,” she whispered.

“I bet I can make you happier, sweetheart,” he whispered back.

“I’d love that.” She leaned back and grinned. “You make me so happy.”

“You make me happy too.”

When the rabbit was finished cooking, Lucius and Sidney shared it first with each other, and then with the pride.

“You’re going to hang out here?” his dad asked as the pride gathered their blankets and readied to head back down to the private living quarters.

“Yeah,” he said.

“Remember the pride’s mating traditions include lunch together the next day, so you can join us at my house at noon.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Welcome to the family and the pride, Sidney,” he said.

“Thank you so much.”

The females hugged Sidney and the males congratulated them both, and then he and his mate were blissfully alone in the paddock.

“We’rehanging out?” she asked, turning to face him on the thick blanket.

“Yep,” he said. He moved off into the darkness a little ways and brought back a rolling cooler and a big duffel.

“Oh, you have something planned,” she said, her voice filled with anticipation.

“Just the best for my forever girl, Sidney.” He did have something planned, and it involved driving her wild until the sun rose and then carrying her home to their bed. Where they could start the next chapter of their lives, together.

Sidney watchedas Lucius set up a blow-up mattress and inflated it with a battery-operated pump. While the mattress inflated, he brought out a container of strawberries from the cooler and bottles of sparkling water. When the mattress was ready, he put a fitted sheet on it along with pillows and a light blanket from the duffel.

“What did you wish for when the shooting star went by?” he asked as he lowered himself to the mattress and patted the space next to him.

“Is that like a birthday wish, that you’re supposed to keep to yourself?”

“I…don’t know.” He laughed.

---