Read Online The Lion's Pride (BBW Paranormal Lion Shifter Romance) (The True Date Agency) by Terra Wolf, Olivia Arran - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Terra Wolf, Olivia Arran
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free. I watched the shutters came down as he distanced himself from me. “Okay, if that’s all you’re offering…then I’m not going to say no.”
10
Zane
I f I had thought not seeing Lara had been torture, it turned out seeing her every day and not being able to touch her—not being able to hold her— that was killing me. I clung to the hope that one day she would stop pushing me away, that she would recognize what we could have. That she would want me for more than a one-night stand.
I knew one thing for sure—I wasn’t going to put pressure on her, not with her so far on in the pregnancy. Her hormones were crazy; one minute she’d be crying, the next she was laughing at the silliest things. My life had changed. Gone were the days of monotony, the single-minded devotion to my Pride, the business and making money. She filled my days and haunted my nights, commanding my every thought.
“Are you on your way to see Lara again?” Gretchen asked, falling into step with me as I walked across the club, performing the last minute checks before we opened that evening.
I trusted my staff to do a good job. We were kind of like a family, a mismatched pride or pack or clan, depending on what type of shifter you asked, but ever since Stacey had betrayed me…I liked to double check things. “Yep, I’m heading over there right now. We’re going to grab a movie to try and take her mind off things.”
“She must be pretty uncomfortable by now? How’s she holding up?”
The image of Lara filled my mind. She was what some people might describe as blooming in the final stages of the pregnancy. In my mind, she was radiant and gorgeous, glowing with health and vitality, not to mention sexy as hell. Keeping my hands to myself had turned into a battle of wills, and every night I returned to my apartment alone and exhausted with frustration tearing through me. “She says everything hurts and she finds it hard to breathe.”
“I can imagine,” Gretchen said on a shudder. “Any day now, right?”
“Right.” And I couldn’t wait. I’d already decided once the baby was born, I was going to try again with Lara. Once I was sure I wouldn’t upset her and jeopardize the baby. The only thing that had kept me sane these past few weeks had been the constant reminder that it was my child growing inside of her, that in a way, I had already laid claim to my mate. And my lion had surprised me; rather than pushing and snarling at me, he had been…docile? A bit like a pussy cat, happy to protect and comfort our mate. He wanted to upset her even less than me.
We reached the front of the club, and I flicked through the book, checking the VIP bookings. Everything looked in order.
“When are you going to let Stacey come back? She’s learned her lesson, Zane. She’s only a kid—”
I closed the book with a thud. “She knew what she was doing. Anyway, it’s not my decision.” I turned to leave, the conversation over in my mind, but Gretchen was persistent.
“Then who’s is it?”
“My mate’s. She’s the one who was wronged, so she has the final decision on whether Stacey should be let back into the Pride.”
“Your mate, who doesn’t know she’s your mate?”
My hand missed the door. Spinning around, I stared at her. “What?” I forced out.
“I went to see Lara. Remember, I told you I’d visit, just to see if she needed anything.”
I nodded, willing her to go on.
“She’s really nice, by the way. I can see why you like her.”
Like? The word grated on me. It sounded weak, something you would use to describe a movie, or a pair of jeans. Or a car. Or a—
“Zane, are you listening? You’re doing that weird staring off into space thing again.”
I pulled my attention back. “Sorry, go on.”
“We got talking, about the baby, about the future. Your name came up, of course,” she said, “but it was the way she described you, Zane—”
“What do you mean?”
“In her eyes, you’re the father of
10
Zane
I f I had thought not seeing Lara had been torture, it turned out seeing her every day and not being able to touch her—not being able to hold her— that was killing me. I clung to the hope that one day she would stop pushing me away, that she would recognize what we could have. That she would want me for more than a one-night stand.
I knew one thing for sure—I wasn’t going to put pressure on her, not with her so far on in the pregnancy. Her hormones were crazy; one minute she’d be crying, the next she was laughing at the silliest things. My life had changed. Gone were the days of monotony, the single-minded devotion to my Pride, the business and making money. She filled my days and haunted my nights, commanding my every thought.
“Are you on your way to see Lara again?” Gretchen asked, falling into step with me as I walked across the club, performing the last minute checks before we opened that evening.
I trusted my staff to do a good job. We were kind of like a family, a mismatched pride or pack or clan, depending on what type of shifter you asked, but ever since Stacey had betrayed me…I liked to double check things. “Yep, I’m heading over there right now. We’re going to grab a movie to try and take her mind off things.”
“She must be pretty uncomfortable by now? How’s she holding up?”
The image of Lara filled my mind. She was what some people might describe as blooming in the final stages of the pregnancy. In my mind, she was radiant and gorgeous, glowing with health and vitality, not to mention sexy as hell. Keeping my hands to myself had turned into a battle of wills, and every night I returned to my apartment alone and exhausted with frustration tearing through me. “She says everything hurts and she finds it hard to breathe.”
“I can imagine,” Gretchen said on a shudder. “Any day now, right?”
“Right.” And I couldn’t wait. I’d already decided once the baby was born, I was going to try again with Lara. Once I was sure I wouldn’t upset her and jeopardize the baby. The only thing that had kept me sane these past few weeks had been the constant reminder that it was my child growing inside of her, that in a way, I had already laid claim to my mate. And my lion had surprised me; rather than pushing and snarling at me, he had been…docile? A bit like a pussy cat, happy to protect and comfort our mate. He wanted to upset her even less than me.
We reached the front of the club, and I flicked through the book, checking the VIP bookings. Everything looked in order.
“When are you going to let Stacey come back? She’s learned her lesson, Zane. She’s only a kid—”
I closed the book with a thud. “She knew what she was doing. Anyway, it’s not my decision.” I turned to leave, the conversation over in my mind, but Gretchen was persistent.
“Then who’s is it?”
“My mate’s. She’s the one who was wronged, so she has the final decision on whether Stacey should be let back into the Pride.”
“Your mate, who doesn’t know she’s your mate?”
My hand missed the door. Spinning around, I stared at her. “What?” I forced out.
“I went to see Lara. Remember, I told you I’d visit, just to see if she needed anything.”
I nodded, willing her to go on.
“She’s really nice, by the way. I can see why you like her.”
Like? The word grated on me. It sounded weak, something you would use to describe a movie, or a pair of jeans. Or a car. Or a—
“Zane, are you listening? You’re doing that weird staring off into space thing again.”
I pulled my attention back. “Sorry, go on.”
“We got talking, about the baby, about the future. Your name came up, of course,” she said, “but it was the way she described you, Zane—”
“What do you mean?”
“In her eyes, you’re the father of
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