I tip my head to the side.
The prettiest sight greets me. A chubby human omega with thick black hair is clutching the doorframe, and he’s completely naked. Why is he naked? He’s absolutely stunning, with all that smooth brown skin and luscious curves. My eyes trail higher.
Those lips.
Those eyes. I’d recognize that face anywhere.
I roll onto my side before bolting to a standing position. It’s him! Holy shit, it’s really him.
My Hayden.
It’s been a few years, and he’s gained some weight, but he’s even more beautiful than I remember. The lion inside of me roars with joy. Only, I’m in my lion form, and he’s way too excited.
He didn’t just roar in my head; he roared out loud.
Hayden’s tight grip is causing his fingers to turn white, and he’s trembling now.
“Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit,” he whispers. “This is how I die. Simba is going to eat me.”
I shake my head, and at the same time my lion steps forward, wanting to comfort our omega.
It was the absolute wrong thing to do, because Hayden crumbles to the ground. Rushing toward him, I simultaneously shift back into my human form, not even bothering to cover my nudity.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Panic rises in my throat as I kneel next to him and carefully lift Hayden’s limp body to my chest.
“Hayden,” I say, keeping my tone soft. “Wake up. It’s okay. It’s just me. Wake up.”
That intoxicating scent swirls around me. My lion sniffs the air greedily.Mate. Mate. He’s our mate.
I suck in a harsh breath, peering down at the omega in my arms. How could this be? Lions are very adept at determining who their true mate is. I should have been able to scent him as ours six years ago.
I pull him closer to me and bury my nose in his hair. Sure enough, I smell cookies and coffee, but also, something is slightly different. That other lingering scent that reminded me of flowers and tried to drown out his natural scent is missing. Was he wearing scent blockers that night? He had to have been. I suck in another breath through my nose.
There’s no doubt about it; Hayden is our mate.
My lion roars his approval.‘Finally.’
Did he feel our connection all those years ago? Do humans even believe in fated mates? Wait. My mate is…human? It shouldn’t be possible. I’ve never heard of the alpha of a Pride being fated to a human.
That’s when Hayden’s words slam into me.‘This is how I die.’He thought I was going to eat him, for shit’s sake.
Oh no. This isn’t good. This isn’t good at all.
Chapter eight
Hayden
I wake up to the scent of cookies baking in the oven. Smiling, I stretch and yawn. Nora must be on one of her baking sprees. It was one of the ways she used to destress when we lived together back before she met her…wait.
I jerk up in bed and take in my surroundings.
The warm comforter slides down my naked body. I squeak, clutching the material to my chest. That’s when I realize I’m in my vacation cabin. I vaguely remember being tired and wanting to take a nap. I should be here alone, but then, who the fuck is making cookies in the kitchen?
Memories lazily flutter to life. I remember waking up and walking into the living room to investigate what was making noise, only to find… a lion? Then, nothing. Blackness. Then there was that voice. His voice.No. I shake my head. It was just a nightmare. There’s no way there was a lion in my cabin. And there’s no way my alpha rescued me from that beautiful beast.
Christmas music plays in the other room, possibly from the TV or unseen speakers. And I swear I hear someone humming. Humming? What on earth is going on? If this is some strange accommodation provided by the lodge, I’ll have to talk to them. I don’t want anyone in my private space while I’m trying to go through my heat.
Just in case there is someone here, it’s probably best that I put on some clothes. I tug on a sweater and shimmy into my pajama pants. It’s a little hot considering my heat is starting, but it’s better to have clothes on in front of a stranger.
