Page 21 of Pleasure and Mane
He pulled off his white t-shirt and swim trunks, his movements deliberate and controlled despite the beast clawing at his insides, demanding release. The full moon's pull was stronger tonight than usual, or perhaps it was Quinn's presence that intensified everything.
Closing his eyes, Caius let the change begin. The first sensation was always heat—a burning that started in his chest and spread outward like liquid fire through his veins. His bones began to lengthen and shift, and muscles expanded and reshaped themselves. His jaw extended, teeth sharpening to deadly points. His hands became massive paws tipped with retractable claws.
The transformation was neither painful nor pleasant—it simplywas, as natural as breathing. Within moments, where Caius Haider had stood, a magnificent golden lion now crouched, easily weighing four hundred pounds of pure muscle and predatory grace.
His lion form was larger than most of his pride—a physical manifestation of his Alpha status. His mane was thick and dark, and his blue eyes now amber and blazing with intelligence. Every sense was heightened. He could smell Quinn's lavender scent mixed with adrenaline and wonder, could hear her slightly accelerated heartbeat, and could practically taste her amazement on the night air.
He turned his massive head toward the patio. Quinn stood frozen, her mouth slightly open and her green eyes wide with awe. But there was no terror in her expression—only wonder and something that looked suspiciously like appreciation.
She thinks we're magnificent,his lion preened, puffing out his chest with unmistakable pride.
Around him, the rest of his pride had completed their shifts. Bertram's lion form was slightly smaller but equally powerful, his mane lighter. Henry's lion was silver-touched, dignified even in beast form. Lavinia remained in human form due to her pregnancy, but she beamed at the spectacle with obvious pleasure.
Caius let out a low, rumbling roar that echoed across the estate grounds—a sound of pure joy and freedom. His prideanswered with their own calls, creating a symphony that had been heard on this land for generations.
Without looking back, he bounded toward the woods, his pride streaming behind him like golden shadows in the moonlight. For the first time in his life, he felt genuinely hopeful that everything might work out for him and that the happiness he deserved was on the horizon—that day when his mate was officially by his side.
Early the next morning, the scalding water cascaded down Caius's shoulders and back as he stood beneath the rainfall showerhead in his master bathroom. But the heat did nothing to ease the restless energy thrumming beneath his skin—an electric current that had been building since he'd watched Quinn's face transform with wonder as his pride shifted last night.
She didn't run.The thought circled through his mind for the hundredth time since dawn.She saw what I truly am, and she didn't run.
He braced his palms against the marble wall, letting the water pound against his neck and shoulders. Most humans would have screamed, or fainted, or at the very least stumbled backward in terror. But Quinn had stood there like a goddess carved from moonlight, her green eyes wide with fascination rather than fear.
The memory of her expression—breathless awe mixed with appreciation—sent heat flooding through his body. His lion purred with masculine satisfaction, preening at how their mate had watched them with such obvious admiration.
Mate.The word settled in his chest like a physical weight. After all this time of believing he'd never find her, Quinn had walked into his world and turned everything upside down in less than forty-eight hours.
Caius shut off the water and grabbed a towel, his movements sharp with barely contained energy. He needed coffee. Heneeded to see Quinn. He needed to figure out how the hell to navigate this situation without making a complete fool of himself.
Twenty minutes later, dressed in dark jeans and a navy henley that clung to his chest and shoulders, Caius descended the grand staircase toward the dining room. The aroma of fresh coffee and Henry's legendary blueberry pancakes filled the air, but his enhanced senses were searching for something else entirely—lavender and rain and that indefinable scent that was purely Quinn.
He found Lavinia in the breakfast nook, practically glowing as she cut into a stack of pancakes drizzled with maple syrup. Her blonde hair caught the morning sunlight streaming through the windows, and for the first time in weeks, she looked completely relaxed rather than pale and nauseated.
"Good morning, sunshine," she said without looking up, her voice rich with amusement. "You look like you slept about as well as I did when I first met Bertram."
Heat slowly crept up Caius's neck as he poured himself coffee. "I slept fine."
"Uh-huh." Lavinia's blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she studied his face. "Is that why you've been pacing around upstairs since five a.m.? Henry mentioned the floorboards were practically groaning under all that restless Alpha energy."
Caius settled into the chair across from her, wrapping his hands around the warm ceramic mug. "Where's Quinn?"
"Straight to the point, I see." Lavinia grinned, taking another bite of pancakes. "She's outside in the gardens."
His lion stirred. "Alone?"
"She doesn't need a babysitter twenty-four-seven, you know." Lavinia's tone was gentle but pointed. "Quinn's a grown woman who's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."
"I know that," he growled firmly. "I just?—"
"You just what?" Lavinia leaned forward, her expression shifting from teasing to genuinely curious. "You're just asking about Quinn's whereabouts for personal reasons, not because you're worried about her professional duties as my midwife?"
Caius stared into his coffee, watching steam curl up from the dark surface. His sister had always been able to read him like an open book, even when they were children.
"Gerri did it again, didn't she?" Lavinia's voice was soft with understanding. "Quinn's your fated mate, right?"
The admission stuck in his throat for a moment before finally breaking free. "Yes."
"Oh, Caius." Lavinia's face lit up with pure joy. "That's so wonderful! Gerri somehow managed to bring you your perfect match while simultaneously providing me with the ideal midwife. She really is supernatural."
