Lion's Match

  Wild, Montana 1

  Lion’s Match

  Eira comes to town looking for a safe place for her adopted sister, a shifter. As a human, Eira knows that not all shifters will be open to her presence. The townspeople seem fine but one alpha lion is not happy about her being there. Can she convince him that she’s everything he needs? Or will he walk away?

  Caleb walks into the Wild Animal Diner one morning and his whole world shifts. He discovers Eira is his mate. But she’s human and he doesn’t like humans, especially attractive women like Eira. Will he see what’s right in front of him before it’s too late, or will his destined mate be pushed away?

  Will the chemistry and mating urges be enough to bring them together. Or will the past cloud the future they could have together?

  Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Shape-shifter

  Length: 26,169 words

  LION’S MATCH

  Wild, Montana 1

  Jasmine Alexander

  EROTIC ROMANCE

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Erotic Romance

  LION’S MATCH

  Copyright © 2013 by Jasmine Alexander

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-043-4

  First E-book Publication: December 2013

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Lion’s Match by Jasmine Alexander from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Jasmine Alexander’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Alexander’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

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  DEDICATION

  To my three heroes, every day I see the world through your eyes is another day I can believe in myself a little more.

  I love you, tantrums and all!

  With everything in me,

  Mom

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  About the Author

  LION’S MATCH

  Wild, Montana 1

  JASMINE ALEXANDER

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter One

  Eira studied the menu at the normal-looking diner. Everything looked great from the outside but she knew that almost every person in this place was different. Shifters. They looked at her strangely. Probably wondering what a strange human was doing in a town full of them. The waitress was human, but Eira couldn’t see the cook. She expected that he was probably a shifter. It made her wonder why the waitress was here. A friend? A mate? Or was she simply in the dark about the world all around her?

  Eira doubted the last. There was only a small chance the waitress wouldn’t have noticed anything suspicious. The woman was also very friendly with all of the other patrons of the diner, clearly local and well known.

  The town itself was beautiful. Tucked away in a mountain, there were forests surrounding the area. It was still covered in snow this time of year, even when it had melted everywhere else. There was a charming town center with little shops, a pub, and a couple of small restaurants. The child inside Eira wondered if they decorated for the winter holidays. She imagined what it would look like with lights strung everywhere, all sparkly and welcoming. She stopped her thoughts before she really got lost in them. She needed to pay attention. She was here for a reason, and that was the priority.

  The waitress walked back around the counter and stopped in front of Eira. The name on her tag said Shea. Eira looked up at her and the waitress smiled hesitantly.

  “What can I get you, doll?” It seemed like the whole place held its breath waiting for her answer.

  “Belgian waffles with a side of bacon, and an orange juice please,” Eira answered, and handed the menu back to the waitress.

  “You got it.” The waitress turned and placed the order on the line.

  “I’m going to hit the ladies room. I’ll be back to eat,” Eira said to the waitress and got a confirmation nod. Eira made her way to the back of the diner, feeling everyone’s eyes on her. At least they weren’t being hostile. Curiosity she could deal with.

  * * * *

  Caleb walked into the Wild Animal Diner. And yes, that was its actual name. Funny to some but just plain ridiculous to him. He was with his Betas, Owen and Nico. It seemed like a regular day. This time when he walked in, something was different. His betas stopped and looked back at him when they realized he wasn’t with them anymore.

  Caleb caught the attention of everyone in the diner when he stopped and suddenly took in a deep breath. Shea hurried over to him but didn’t get a chance to speak.

  “Is Joe making something new today? Something sweet, maybe with vanilla?” Caleb asked, surprising himself, and clearly his betas, who turned and gawked at him. Shea looked a little confused and she was nervous. He could smell it. She gently shook her head while keeping her eyes diverted away from him.

  “No, nothing new today.” Shea answered, more nervous than before. Caleb wondered what was going on. Everyone watched him closely, in fascination. It was like they expected him to shift into his cat and do the mambo or s
omething.

  Caleb took another deep breath and a growl built in his throat. It wasn’t a growl meant to intimidate but one of satisfaction. As he continued to breathe in the most wonderful scent he had ever come across, something else happened. He started to get hard. Right there with everyone watching him, he was going to start straining against his jeans like a teenager who saw his first boob. Before he could do anything else, like sit down and stop looking like a total moron, there was a rush of air from the back of the diner and a woman stepped through.

  The scent of vanilla clung to her and Caleb breathed in deep. She was what smelled so good. Not only that, she looked good. Edible. She had long dark waves that reached down to the top of her ass, good-sized breasts, and a mouth made for all kinds of things he could think of. All of them sexual. Her head would probably only come to the middle of his chest, which seemed small for a shifter, but he didn’t care. She stopped and met his gaze.

  Caleb took another deep breath and let the growl slip past his lips. He barrelled right toward her after he snarled, “Mine.”

  When Caleb reached her he pulled her to him and slammed his mouth down on hers. She was hesitant at first but then relaxed and melted into him. Caleb licked the seam of her lips, seeking entrance. The gorgeous woman moaned and parted her lips for him. He reached around and palmed her ass, raising her off the ground.

  Caleb walked her over to the counter and set her down without breaking his hold on her mouth. He spread her legs and pressed his chest to hers. She was delicious, the most wonderful thing he had ever tasted. He wanted her, here, and now. On this counter. In the diner. A voice inserted itself into his thoughts. In front of everyone. The voice came back again. Caleb tried to rein in his control. He halted her hands, which were climbing inside his shirt to touch his skin.

  Caleb pulled his mouth away and they were both breathing hard. He nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck and took a deep, cleansing breath to relax enough to stop mauling her in public. His brain didn’t immediately register what he smelled until his second breath. Caleb stiffened in her arms.

  * * * *

  Eira couldn’t believe it. She was sitting on a counter having been thoroughly blindsided and slightly ravished by this giant, hulking male smashed against her. One minute she had been walking out of the bathroom to have breakfast, and the next she had looked up to see this man devour her with his eyes. She felt like she had been hit by a truck with all the lusty promise building in his eyes. Then, he had picked her up and settled her on the counter. She hadn’t even thought of all the people witnessing this crazy behavior. His kiss had taken everything from her, and boy, did she want more.

  He stopped her hands from moving under his shirt. She hadn’t even realized she had put her hands up his shirt and she was slightly embarrassed. Sure, he had started it with the grabbing and kissing, but she started fondling him. And in public no less. He nuzzled into her neck and took a couple of deep breaths. She looked over his shoulder at everyone watching them. Some looked outright shocked while others, mostly the women, looked at her with pity. Before she could consider their reactions she felt him stiffen against her.

  He pulled her away from him, keeping her at arm’s length while he stared at her. She didn’t even have time to gasp, he moved so quickly. Eira watched the rage overtake the lust and possession in his eyes. Eira tried to pull away and speak but his snarl and tight grip on her arms prevented either.

  “You’re human!” he accused. Shock lit her eyes at his comment. Hadn’t he already smelled her? Before she could reply, he shook her and snarled in her face.

  “You can’t be human. I will never take a human mate!” he demanded, and even though she had just laid eyes on him, his insistence hurt her. Would no one ever accept her for who she was? If a man who thought she was his mate didn’t want her, why would anyone else?

  Mates were supposed to be your destined other half in the shifter world. The one person created to complete you and make you whole. Shifters could immediately smell their mates and if one were lucky enough to find a mate, they held on with everything they had. There was no one more loyal than a mate. You were never more loved by anyone if you mated.

  “Who are you and what are you doing here?” her captor demanded, with distrust in his eyes. Yeah, like she could do anything to him. He was probably six five and three hundred pounds of solid muscle. She wondered how big his lion was. His gaze narrowed and he looked at her angrily.

  “How do you know my animal?” he demanded quietly, but with viciousness. Eira realized she must have said her thoughts out loud. A man stepped up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Cale, calm down. Let the woman go and then you can ask your questions,” the man insisted. Cale calmed slightly at his friend’s words and stood up so that their heads were no longer a hair’s breadth from each other, but he did not release her.

  “I asked you a question. Who are you and how do you know me?” Cale demanded again, like he was the king of the town or something. Although, for all she knew he was. But that didn’t mean she was going to sit there and take this giant lion’s crap. She pushed down the hurt and let the anger take over. This man had kissed her within an inch of her life, then been rude and accusing, and now was manhandling her. She might feel a connection to him, but no one had walked on Eira Sloan since she was eight years old. She wasn’t about to let it happen now, mate or not.

  Eira met his gaze with one of her own, filled with fury. He was momentarily surprised and his hands loosened their grip on her arms. She took the opportunity to knock his arms away from her and jumped down from the counter. She turned so she could see him and his two friends. She didn’t know how this situation would turn out, but she wasn’t giving them the advantage by putting her back to any of them. Eira crossed her arms over her chest and addressed the giant.

  “I don’t know you. I’m here to eat breakfast.” Eira insisted not giving him an inch.

  “You lie,” he growled at her. “You reek of human and yet you said I was a lion. How do you know this?” he demanded again.

  “I do not reek!” she demanded with gritted teeth. “It was you who charged me, declaring that I was yours. It was also you who kissed me.”

  “I didn’t see you putting up a fight, or complaining. Do you always let strangers kiss you in public places?” He put every ounce of hatred he clearly had into his accusation. “It wouldn’t surprise me. Most humans are easy.”

  Eira saw red at his comment.

  She screeched at him, “I don’t know who you think you are, but I will not stand by and be insulted by some overgrown pussy cat!” Everyone in the diner froze. He looked like his head might explode, like a tea kettle about to scream.

  “I am alpha!” He roared at her so loudly that the windows of the diner shook. Looking her up and down, he continued. “You will never speak to me that way. You are nothing but a filthy human, dressed to entice men into her bed!”

  Eira looked down at her outfit. She had on jeans, and yes they hugged her figure, but they were practical. Her sweater was low cut but she wasn’t falling out of it. And her boots had a wicked heel but they were her favorite pair.

  “There is nothing wrong with my clothing. And I don’t care whose alpha you are but you sure as hell aren’t mine!” She yelled the last part right back at him.

  “I have no idea what fate was thinking to send you!” He bellowed. “I would rather be alone for all eternity than have a vile, cheap human as my mate!” Then he spun on his heel and stormed out of the diner. One of his friends followed him while the other looked at her with concern. He was probably worried that she would burst into tears or something, but she wasn’t going to give anyone that satisfaction. One thing always stuck with her from her childhood. Never let them see you cry. It was a mantra she had to repeat to herself at that moment, but one she would not break.

  “Give him some time. It was a shock for him to find a mate, let alone a human one. After he calms down, you can talk ra
tionally.” The friend tried to interfere. She looked at him and briefly wondered what a wolf was doing as a beta to a lion but she let it go.

  Eira walked over to the counter and put a twenty on it. She put on her coat and turned to the waitress.

  “Thanks, but I’m not real hungry anymore.” Then she turned to the rest of the customers who were all still watching her. “Sorry for the scene everyone. Please go back to enjoying your breakfast.” Eira walked across the town square over to where she had parked, got in, and drove away. When she was finally out of town she let the tears fall. But only for a minute before she wiped them away. She might be just a human but dammit she was worth more than the dirt that jackass had treated her like. Besides, who needed a mate? Certainly not her. She had been fine without one for twenty-eight years and she would continue to be fine for another sixty.

  Chapter Two

  Six months later

  A loud thump was followed by a painful moan. Then a load roar shook the building Owen and Nico stood in front of.

  “He’s getting better at that window shaking roar,” Nico observed. Owen growled in response.

  “Had enough?” growled and roared out of their alpha from the training room. Whoever had drawn training today was going to need a day off just to recover. Just like the group from yesterday and the day before. If this kept going, their odd little clan would be nonexistent.

  “It’s not funny, Nico. He’s running through everyone. I know he’s pissed but he needs to get this under control.” Owen was exasperated. He didn’t know what else to do. They had spoken to everyone in and around town but no one knew who the woman at the diner was. She had paid cash so there was no credit card. No one knew what she drove, so no license plate number. It was like she hadn’t really existed. But they all knew she had. They had contacted outside packs, prides, law enforcement contacts, but so far there was no sign of her. It’s not like Owen blamed her for leaving and not looking back. He was loyal to Caleb and loved him like a brother, but he had been a first-class prick to the woman. His alpha had trust issues, especially with humans, but it didn’t excuse his treatment of his mate. There were plenty of times that Owen wanted to jump in the training room with Cale, just to try and knock some sense into him.