“I’m in the bedroom, come on back.”Sera tightened the belt of her robe around her waist and smiled at the females as they walked in—Jenni, Rhomi, and Sidney, who was the only human female in the pride.“I’m glad you’re here to help me get ready.I don’t know what to wear.”
“We’ve got you covered,” Rhomi said.She handed Sera a stack of clothing.As she separated the pieces, Sera saw it was a silk tank in a soft gold color, black satin pants, and soft-soled black shoes.
“Gold for the lion,” Sidney said.“Black for the spots of your jaguar.”
“This is awesome, thank you.”
She hurried to the bathroom and changed, loving how soft the top and pants were.The females did her make-up and hair, clipping up the sides to reveal the mating marks on the side of her neck.
Jenni’s phone beeped a while later, and she checked it.“All clear in the park.Jupiter said to wait ten minutes and then head up to the paddock.”
Rhomi said, “Are you excited?Nervous?”
“Yes!”Sera said with a chuckle.“I love him and we’re already mated, but it feels different.”
“I was nervous too,” Sidney said.
The others nodded.“It’ll be wonderful,” Jenni said.“You get to promise yourself to Caesar in front of the pride and then you’ll be our alpha female.We’ve waited a long time for one, and you’re perfect.”
“Thank you all so much.”
After the time had passed, they walked topside to the maintenance shed in the lions’ paddock.Carrying the bracelets and the prickly pear, Sera walked through the doors of the shed and stepped out into the darkness.In the distance was a roaring bonfire where Caesar and the pride were waiting.
“We’ll see you there,” Jenni said.The females hurried to the pride, and then Sera realized she wasn’t alone.
Lucius and Amadeus stepped out from behind the shed doors.
“Dad asked us to escort you to the fire,” Lucius said.
“Thanks, boys,” she said.They put their hands on her upper arms and walked her to the bonfire, where the love of her life waited and the world seemed to be holding its breath.
She’d imagined this night her whole life, and it was better than she ever dreamed.
A jaguar and a lion, finding each other against crazy odds.
She had a big family now and a pride that cared about her.
Life was pretty damn good.
Caesar stood next to Jupiter, the bonfire roaring at his back, the pride standing in two sections in front of them with a space between for Sera to walk to join them.He’d asked Lucius and Amadeus to escort her, even though traditionally the couple walked together.He wanted all his sons to be part of the joining ceremony.Caesar wasn’t just taking Sera for his mate officially, she was going to be part of their family and that meant she was their mom.
Shifters didn’t really use the stepparent terms.
Family was family.
Sera was their mom now.They might be adults, with Jupiter and Lucius starting their own families, but they still were excited about having Sera as part of their family in the role that their biological mom hadn’t cared to fulfill.
Caesar was dressed traditionally in only black slacks.The pride females had gathered an outfit for Sera to wear, and he was touched by how swiftly they’d welcomed her into the pride.
He saw Sera’s silhouette as the shed doors opened.Jenni, Rhomi, and Sidney hurried ahead to take their places among the pride, while Lucius and Amadeus escorted her to Caesar.
His heart was in his throat as she drew close and he saw what she was wearing: a shimmery gold top and black pants, a nod to the lion and jaguar groups merging.
When the trio reached him and Jupiter, they welcomed her to the family, and then Lucius and Amadeus joined the rest of the pride.Caesar took the container of prickly pear from her and she faced him.Jupiter stood at their sides with the bonfire at his back, the flames casting the whole area in orange and gold.
“You look radiant,” Caesar whispered.
She beamed at him.“Sexy male,” she whispered back.
