Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45605 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Orion has waited a long time to find his human mate. The moment Cora shows up at his pride’s logging site, he’s drawn to her by a force that defies nature. But something is terribly wrong. The man she’s with makes his skin crawl.
Cora has been isolated from society for years, a servant to the man who has led her to believe she has no other options. It’s either work herself to the bone for him or end up on the streets. But he’s cruel and mistreats her with regularity.
Orion intends to separate Cora from the vile human and bind her to him as soon as possible. The man she arrived with isn’t going to let her go without a fight, but he should not underestimate the power of the lion shifters.
The books in this series include strong elements of age play. If this genre is offensive to you, this may not be the book or series for you
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Orion
“Who is that?” I ask under my breath as I move toward the window of the logging office trailer.
Brea glances up from where she’s managing payroll at her desk. “Oh, that’s Vincent Jones. He’s meeting with Navin about a land purchase somewhere nearby.”
I glance at the man she’s referring to. Something about him rubs me wrong. Gritting my teeth, I shift my attention back to the woman standing behind him. “Not him. Who’s the woman?”
“Oh, that’s Cora. I think she’s his daughter.”
I exhale long and slow. Thank fuck she’s not his wife.
A deep longing consumes me. I can’t explain it. It’s not an experience I’m familiar with, but I have a suspicion that the dark-haired, timid woman I’m staring at is my mate. Or she will be as soon as I claim her.
It’s weird. I haven’t even seen her face. It’s not possible because her long thick hair is curtaining her features. She’s standing slightly behind Jones, head tipped down. Her stance has the hairs on the back of my neck on end, and I don’t like the way she’s holding her right arm.
Her clothes are odd, too, as if they aren’t hers. They don’t fit right. She has on jeans, but they’re loose. Her blouse is untucked and wrinkled. The navy cardigan she’s wearing is frayed at the hem. It, too, is far too large for her slight frame.
My lion comes precariously close to the surface, and a low growl escapes my lips.
“Are you okay?” Brea asks, her voice shaking.
“No. Definitely not.” My hands are fisted. I need to get my shit together before I go outside. I don’t like the vibe I’m feeling at all.
“Uhh…” Brea says, joining me at the window. “Maybe I could ask if she wants to come into the trailer to wait for her father.”
I glance at Brea. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to Navin. I’m so fucking glad he claimed her and made her part of our pride. She’s a sweetheart, and he’s a lucky man.
I think it’s my turn to claim a mate. I wondered how I would know. Turns out I just do. It’s plain as day.
Brea has picked up on my interest. She’s insightful. Bless her for offering to lure my woman into the office. She smiles up at me. “Come on. Let’s go join them. If you’re too tongue-tied, I’ll figure out something to say.”
I smirk. “Nosey little thing.”
She giggles. “Just trying to help.”
“Navin is going to kill me for letting you leave the office.”
She shrugs, the smile never leaving her face. “Oh, no. What if he punishes me?” Her tone couldn’t be more sarcastic if she tried. The Little imp probably does everything in her power to challenge Navin in order to earn his discipline.
I follow Brea out the door and down the few steps to the gravel drive. As we head toward Navin and our guests, my pride brother glances up. His brow furrows. I know why. He hates it when Brea leaves the trailer. And I can’t blame him. This is a logging site. It’s not safe for her to be roaming around out here, but he’s going to have to get over himself this time.
When Navin shifts his gaze from Brea to me, I do my best to communicate with him. He’s the leader of our pride, a brother, a friend. We can usually express volumes of information from just a look, which comes in handy on occasion. Like now.
I stare at him hard, my expression firm, my gaze darting toward the woman and back to him.
Cora. She’s definitely fucking mine. That is more obvious to me by the second. Every inhale draws her deeper into my soul. I hate that her sweet scent is tainted by a combination of other smells that make me cringe. Smoke is one of them. I find it very unlikely that she’s a smoker, which means her father is, and it gets on her clothes and in her hair.
She also smells of cheap soap and laundry detergent. I want to get her out of these ill-fitting clothes and wash her past off her skin and hair.
The vibe I’m getting from Vincent Jones is not good. He’s an asshole. I’m sure Navin has figured that out.
Navin acknowledges my silent communication with a slight brow lift and an imperceptible nod.
Cora never looks up. She has to know someone is approaching unless she’s deaf. A normal human being would glance over their shoulder as they sense someone new, but not her. Brea would have told me if Cora is hard of hearing.
“Ah, Orion,” Navin says as he motions for me to join them. “This is Vincent Jones. He’s interested in selling a piece of land near here. We’re discussing the possible purchase.”
It takes everything in me not to scowl. I’m closer than I’ve ever been to shifting on the spot and roaring loud enough to shake the mountain.