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It was then that he remembered she’d be attending the event. He was excited but conflicted at the same time.
Seeing her again was certainly something he wanted. It only meant that he’d be introducing a human to the pride early … before he knew she was one hundred percent his. After all, he still had the task of wooing her into a relationship.
Her presence would undoubtedly cause ripples through the pride, ripples that might be too soon for someone who wasn’t fully committed to him yet.
“No,” he stated. He swallowed hard, refusing to think twice about her attendance. “I’d better make sure the pride does not scare her off. Besides, I’m sure they’ll be on their best behavior with their leader around.”
Magnus smiled at the thought of Alexis winning over the members of the pride. He let out a sigh of relief.
I’ve got to stop thinking about things so negatively, he thought to himself with a chuckle. It came naturally to him. Being a pride leader trained him to expect adversity in any given situation, as people would look to him for guidance in such cases.
He hoped everything would go smoothly at the event. With a deep breath, he collected himself before he resumed working on his speech.
FOURTEEN
ALEXIS
“I’m on my way,” Alexis said, a smile on her face.
“See you soon,” Magnus replied softly. “Be safe.”
She hung up the phone, slipping behind the wheel of her car to head out to his country house about half an hour outside of town.
Originally, the plan was to park at the fairgrounds and meet up there, but when he offered to let her see his house, she found herself too intrigued to turn him down.
There was something so exciting about seeing a different side of him … a more intimate side of him.
Magnus was a serious businessman, a go-getter like herself, but there was a wild side that only came out when he allowed his panther instincts to come forward.
Seeing his inner domain, the place where he could let loose and be himself, was like getting another peek behind the curtain.
It didn’t take long for her to reach the outskirts of the city, pulling into a narrow two-lane road that led her deeper into the woods.
She followed the GPS directions, turning into a long driveway and heading up the path until she reached a two-story cottage-style home.
Magnus was there to greet her as she exited her car, pulling her into a warm hug before kissing her lightly on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said, taking her hand in his. “Let me show you around.”
The house sat atop a weathered stone foundation with a timber frame and vine-covered walls. It exuded a rustic charm that immediately captivated Alexis, pulling a smile from her as they walked around to the back.
Magnus pointed out his garden with a section just for catnip. Alexis hid a grin in the collar of her jacket as they continued onward to the expansive meadow behind the moss-covered stone walls.
“This is where the pride has our runs,” he said, pointing toward the tree line. “We can shift here without being seen and head into the woods right over there.”
Alexis felt a pang in her heart at the idea of Magnus providing a safe space for his people to enjoy their primal side away from the prying eyes of the world.
He led her back to the house and, once inside, showed off the large stone fireplace in the living room with a sunken conversation pit. She could easily imagine a dozen panther shifters hanging out, warming themselves by the fire.
The kitchen was equally spacious, with stainless steel appliances and gleaming marble counters. Though everything looked sleek and elegant, she took note of the fact that there were no magnets on the fridge, no notes hastily scribbled and pinned up to the corkboard, and no mismatched knickknacks adorning the shelves. The entire thing was devoid of personal touches.
“It’s nice in here,” she said slowly, wandering back out to the living area. “But how come it doesn’t look like anyone lives here most of the time?”
Magnus joined her, standing with her in front of the fireplace. “I spend most of my time in my apartment in the city,” he explained. “But to be honest, I don’t have many personal items there either. I guess I just don’t tend to think about that kind of thing. I only go home to sleep and shower usually. And when I come here, it’s for a weekend run.”
He reached out and brought her knuckles to his lips, planting a kiss. “But maybe someone will come along to give it that personal touch.”
A thrill of desire ran through Alexis when his lips touched her fingers. His eyes lingered on her for a moment before he cleared his throat. “Shall we continue?” he asked, offering his hand. As she took it, he led her down the hallway to the master bedroom.
It was spacious, with an ornate four-poster bed in the middle and enough space for another smaller fireplace, complete with a loveseat in front to cuddle on during cold winter nights.
