“You are.”He brushed her hair back from her face, tucking a lock behind her ear.She shivered at the light touch.“And you’re not alone anymore.You’re part of my family with my three boys and their families, and the pride too.And Fallon and Avi, and Sunny and Seneca—they’re all part of our family now.Seems pretty big when you look at it that way, huh?”
“Yeah, it really does.”Her throat felt tight, emotion rising inside her.She was just so happy to be with Caesar, her sexy, strong alpha lion.
He put his mug down and pulled her gently into his arms.She set her mug on the coffee table so she could hug him properly, her fingers pressing gently into his strong back.His scent enveloped her—tall grass, sunshine, and male.
She wasn’t sure how long they sat like that, holding each other, reveling in their connection as soulmates.But the coffee had cooled by the time they eased from the hug, and she was about to suggest a fresh cup for both of them, when he tipped her chin up and kissed her, slowly and deeply.“Shower?”he murmured against her lips.
Her breath hitched.“Shower.”
* * *
When they got out of the bathroom a while later, skin still glowing from the hot water and hotter sex, they snuggled on the bed, his arms around her and her head on his chest.
“What’s the plan for the day?”she asked, tracing lazy circles on his chest.
“Well, I’m not working.I told the security team I’d be out for a few days while you and I get to know each other and enjoy our mating.We can do whatever we’d like.”He looked at his phone and said, “The park is closed for another couple hours.Would you like to walk around and get some fresh air?”
“That sounds awesome.”
They talked about the park while they dressed for the cool fall morning in jeans and long sleeved shirts.He told her about recent changes to the park, like how Lucius’s mate Sidney sketched animal portraits for sale in the gift shop and had set up an easel by the security office to sketch while patrons watched, and the carousel that was run by gorilla August’s mate Ginny, a jackal shifter.
“I didn’t know there were jackal shifters,” she said.
They walked out into the family room to put on their shoes and grab another cup of coffee with sweet cream.
“We didn’t either,” he said with a chuckle.His phone buzzed and he lifted it.“Let me grab this, baby.”He swiped his thumb and said, “Hi, Amadeus, what’s up?”
She walked into the kitchen to brew fresh coffee and found Amazing Adventures Safari Park travel mugs in the cabinet.
Caesar walked into the kitchen a few moments later.“I’m sorry, baby, but I have to run up to handle something topside.”
“What is it?”she asked, her heart dropping into her stomach.
“There’s a problem at the employee parking lot security gate.”He gave her a quick kiss.“I’ll tell you when I know more, I promise.Stay here, I’ll be back.”
He was gone before she could think of something else to say.She just knew it was related to Otto.It had to be.If it was a regular sort of security issue, he would have told her.That he wasn’t sharing anything meant it was about her.And bad.
With a sigh, she put the lid on his coffee to keep it hot and then took her mug to sit on the couch.
So much for a quiet walk around the park.
* * *
Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door.Sera opened it, surprised to see four females smiling at her.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hey!We wanted to officially welcome you to the pride and introduce ourselves,” the first female said.“I’m Jenni.I’m a lioness and mated to Devlin, who’s human.He works with Alpha Joss in the accounting department.I brought cinnamon rolls.”
“It’s nice to meet you, those look great!Come on in,” Sera said, stepping aside.
“I’m Celeste, Jupiter’s mate, and that makes you my mother-in-law!I do manis and pedis in the market with my bestie Adriana.I brought blueberry muffins.”
“I’m Rhomi,” a pretty blonde said with a smile.“I’m mated to Mercer.”
“I’m Sidney,” the fourth female said.“I’m mated to Lucius, and that makes you my mother-in-law too, how cool!”
Jenni chuckled and set a platter of cinnamon rolls down on the coffee table.“We know it can be a little overwhelming to find your soulmate and join such a large group, so we wanted to be sure you felt very welcome.”
